Kaleidoscope
by MzMilo
Summary: REVAMPED of the Persona of Antithesis Luffy practically turned anyone's world upside down, and apparently her crew-mates were in the front row of one head inducing, sanity cracking, and mindboggling ride not suited for the fainthearted. time/dimensional-travel, BAMF & femLuffy
1. Overture

**Disclaimer:**

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda. No money is being made off this piece of fiction.

The cover picture isn't mine.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Just pulled out this file from** Avis' folder **which before I just take a look and turn the other away. Rereading the story all I think was—it's something _else, _I can't named. And here I am, finished tweaking with a chapter and this was the result. This chapter also provides the background of how Smoker was tied up with Luffy's shenanigans.

Wherever you are **Avis**-chan, I hope you're happy and satisfied. And thanks a lot for giving me free rein of your unfinished fanfics *hugs tightly*

* * *

**Story Summary:**

Fearless. Obstinate. Irrepressible. These were all understatement to describe the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates.

Here's an odd fact: that person is a living antithesis of what a pirate should be. Take note of her talent for mayhem and mischief, making all sanity's atom to split apart. Summed it up—with a couldn't care less attitude with formalities and protocols. Monkey D. Luffy practically turned anyone's world upside down, and apparently her crew-mates were in the front row of one head inducing, sanity cracking, and mindboggling ride not suited for the fainthearted.

**Warnings:**

Time/dimensional-travel, AU, violence, language, BAMF & femLuffy, OOC!ALERT, self-betaed

* * *

"_Many events have revolved around you. Lives have changed course because of you."_

"_No, that can't be right. I have been stuck away at convents and in this castle. I have nothing of any import and can mean nothing to anyone."_

"_You are the eye of the hurricane, the silent place of still air around which the violent forces blow."_

"_But why now?"_

"_Destiny perhaps. Or an effect of those uncanny abilities of yours. Yours will not be a quiet life."_

"_It's been deafeningly quiet up until now."_

"_You'll hear the howl of the winds soon enough."_

"_Don't say things like that. They scare me."_

"_You wanted the truth. It is not my fault it is not as pretty as you wish."_

_**-Theron and Lucia, Dream of Me by Lisa Cach**_

* * *

**Overture**

* * *

_"There is a price to pay for freedom, my love…_

_You may have your wings,_

_But you might also fall_

_Very, very, hard…_

_You'll have wounds,_

_Scars that will never fades…_

_All of these will make you stronger,_

_So take heed of the path you choose, my precious..."_

* * *

**Journal Log**

**Date XXXX**

**The Thousand Sunny**

_We were one, spawns of the endless and untameable sea. Drawn together by our dreams—that distance and time can't tear apart. We were nothing but ants in the midst of a hurricane. Even if the destination was uncertain we will take the risks. No dire consequences could stop us. Impossible was not a word used to associate us._

_The days we shared varies in bright and warm from gloom to doom._

_Trudging forward, we become the unlikely heroes. Rescuing and saving a lot of nations and its people. Played and controlled by the games of all kinds of tyrants and madmen. These challenges forged us all like the strongest of steal._

_We drifted onwards to our fate. Life wasn't on giving up but sailing on forward to the unknown…_

**~0~**

**In another world…**

Dire trepidation filled his heart. His blood thrummed violently as he watched on.

_Another _died, one of his nakama. Gone with a peaceful smile on his lips.

"Tell me scum of the sea. How it feels as you stood there watching as your crew dies one by one?" Paused. "What a fitting punishment for the Pirate King, indeed."

He suddenly smiled widely in acceptance of his fate, and those watching were all taken aback.

Without warning, the air grew distinctly chill. Cold wind came up suddenly. Above, thunders rolled through the darkening skies. The wind rose with it whipping with a fierce whistle.

Across the lands the tides changed its course.

* * *

**Garp's POV**

Monkey D. Garp is currently one of the vice-admirals of the Marines, famous for capturing the Pirate King, Gold D. Roger. His special attack is called the _'Fist of Love'_ that is deadly to his enemies/love ones. He also has the appetite of a monster known to bring his cooks in the state of panic. Also, Garp has a legendary monstrous' strength. Tearing that information aside, he is a very happy-go-lucky and a goofy person.

But as much as his greatness and fame, the irony of his life tips his world into 180 degrees, for his spawn _is _the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.

And now this.

He can't figure out what to think.

**Name:** Monkey D. Luffy

**Age:** newborn

**Gender:** female

**Mother:** unknown

**Father:** _you-know-who_

**Place of birth:** unknown

**Date of birth:** May 5th

**Current location:** Baltigo

Monkey D. Garp drops the paper down on his tea table, looking up to the sky with a pensive look in his face. This information came from his personal Intel a month ago. He really badly needs to seek out his _beloved _son to give him a piece of his mind.

This _is_ a shock.

A grandchild. A _female _grandchild.

_What a pleasant surprise!_

Garp truly did not have any problems with his grandchild's gender.

But…it's a girl!

_Too dangerous!_

Not to mention his parenting skills sucked, a fact he's very aware of. Look at what happened to his son.

But…

_Another carrier of the Will of the D is now part of this world._

Garp sighs. He will need his excellent skills in covert operation for this one. There is only one place safe for his newborn granddaughter's identity.

A place away from pirates and marines alike.

_No one must know,_ he thinks with a grim expression.

**~0~**

A lone baby opens her eyes in her surroundings wondering why everything is so big. A teddy bear catches her attention; she tries to reach but she can't. Before long, baby's face turns red, a clue for an incoming wail.

"Looks like the little one is awake!" A certain figure exclaims, approaching the child inside one of the cribs.

The baby squints her eyes to look in her surroundings. She's inside in a little room unknown to her. That alarms the baby for she did not know this place. Her only comfort is the woman's voice lulling her back to sleep.

**~0~**

The orphanage is in chaos due to someone who accidentally started a fire in the kitchen's storeroom where bottles of sake were kept for special purposes. The orphanage's matron and workers did not want to point a finger to the one responsible because there isn't any evidences found, but deep inside they know who did it since one of the staff informs them about a raven haired child's strange fascination to anything related to fire.

They all agree of one solution.

Three days later, the orphanage workers look at the raven haired child's back leaving the orphanage for good, one of their staff was assigned to accompany and supply the child with some pieces of clothing, a sum of money, and a piece of paper.

A relieved sigh pass their lips as they see the two leaving. Fully knowing their job is already done.

Anyone can say that the raven haired child is just an ordinary orphan when they first lay their eyes on her.

But she never was.

Especially, when that particular child starts to remember the memories of the past of other worlds…

**~0~**

**Luffy's POV**

Five years old Luffy is preparing for her meal when it happened.

_I can't move._

A sudden violent spasm rocks her body. The pain soars in heights she can't describe in words. Every seconds give the impression that years has passed rather than hours of torturous moments.

That is when it happens. She hisses in pain, gritting her teeth as wave of memories storm inside her mind.

Faces of people and others family/friends/allies/rivals/enemies, a thirst for recognition and approval; sweat and tears; nights without an hour of rest; joy of acceptance; finding family; breaking of bonds; victory after victory; defeat; struggling hope; pain of loneliness; solitude of darkness; new chance; meeting them again; fighting back; determination; and _his_ will.

The memories were bittersweet. Few were agonizing and haunting.

She can't even open her mouth to scream.

_Why can't she scream? Why can't she move?_

Then surprisingly, everything is trampled down.

After the completion of the painful process, a gasp is heard from the small figure on the bed.

Eyes blink.

The sensation of numbness from the process of joining is starting to fade away. The child proceeds to stretch her body. After a few minutes of resting from the assault of memories, eyes open unseeing to the beyond.

Now, remembering who she once was.

**~0~**

Her fifth birthday passes by without seeing a hair or hide of her _supposed_ guardian. If she's a normal child like others, she'll be very sad but she's not.

She had put it past behind her.

For the past and current her, her grandfather is more than a stranger than a family.

And she's always been careful not to get closer to anyone since she _remembered_. Keeping herself meticulously distant is more preferable than being hurt by someone in the future who _he_ once trusted.

For the life of her, Luffy wonders not for the first time, if her parallel selves in the other alternate worlds usually suffer from extreme case of martyrdom and masochism, or if it's only because they cared way _too _much for others than themselves.

It's like when heaven rain goodness upon the world she _and _them were the only one who's awake to catch it all.

Or is it just Fate having too much fun for her good health?

_This is a conspiracy nothing more and nothing less,_ Luffy grimaces at the thought. If she did defy Fate and whoever else, the stronger the gripping pull will be. Not much a fat chance to get way.

Clearly, it's a deadlock situation.

Well, at least there's a chance to cause more chaos this time. She's not above giving headaches to _special_people. Some of them caused many troubles in her way to last a lifetime of eternity.

Being a King or in this case Queen isn't a banquet.

Immediately, Luffy steers away from the painful memories of her past lives. The forefront in her mind is to focus on walking this unfamiliar terrain through and finish the job in flying colors.

First on her list, is to train this fragile body to shape. And it will be one titanic struggle to pass through the Everest level of training exercises that needed to be done.

More importantly,_ he_ has to get use to be a _girl_ in this world.

_What fun…_

**~0~**

**Garp's POV**

Garp fidgets on his seat. This will be the first time he'll meet his grandchild and he's quite excited. His joy is barely dampened by the news of the orphanage irresponsible treatment to Luffy. After all, all Ds can take care of their selves without much assistance the moment they could walk.

"Are you my grandpa?"

A black haired child's words brings a halt to his musings.

He looks up and sees a straw hat on his line of sight, wondering for a moment where he has seen it before.

Only to pause dumbfounded at the inhuman beauty of the child. Torrential waves of unexplainable feelings burst inside him as he watches on, riveted at the blackest of onyx pair of eyes he had ever seen in his life. He stares at the cherubic face of the child in the age of five with gravity defying short raven hair, begging to be touch. The sun-kissed skin seems to emit a golden glow making the child stand out from the others.

The child's whole features are the definition of beauty. Even the most talented painter/photographer's painting/picture would not do justice to the child's beauty. For one mad moment, he thinks the child can't possibly be a human.

_Too perfect to be true._

He takes a deep breath inwardly shaking himself, he refuses to make a fool of himself in front of anyone man or woman, young or old alike. Only to pause considering the child's words at him.

_Huh?_

_**What?**_

"Tell me your name?" he commands her brusquely after finding his words.

The child tilts its head to the side slightly, onyx eyes focusing solely on him. The eyes study him intently, searching and weighing. Satisfied by what the child finds, the child finally answers, "Luffy. Just Luffy."

Then, the child leaves him swiftly like the wind, distracted by an ice-cream vendor.

Again, he stares speechless in disbelief at the child's back. After what it seemed to be hours, his shoulders shake with laughter.

The future looks bright. Fate brings him here for an unexpected treasure.

**~0~**

**A week later…**

Luffy sighs on Garp's back, as they continues to walk towards the hotel.

"Jii-chan, you can put me down now." A vein twitched realizing her grandfather is not listening to her.

"I don't want to hear any news about you concerting with that perverted vendor again, Luffy." Garp growls in annoyance. "You, my beautiful granddaughter is destined to be great strong marine not an ice cream server."

At this, Luffy rolls her eyes heavenward. _As if._

"I should have never left you in this island Village," Garp continues, "I should have taken you with me, so I can keep my eye on you. I can take care of you better than anyone else."

This proclamation makes Luffy twitched in anger. _Yeah, your love and tender care had scarred me for life. What's with this change anyway? Before they had not yet met each other, the man could hardly spare a time to check up on her._

Thinking her past life, she wonders how her previous selves restrained himself from clobbering Garp. _I forgot, he's too scared to death to do that thing,_ she thinks sweat-dropping.

It's a good thing to note this time though; her grandpa's abusive behavior is countered by her new sadistic side, and actually Garp appears to be actually thrilled by her rough treatment whenever they argued.

"My precious grandchild attracted another pedophile!" Garp's voice rises higher as he continues to rant, not noticing that Luffy has gotten off behind his back to study a stack of papers.

Garp's is still talking to himself that he will not let any perverted scum touch his precious grandchild, and many more incoherent words as he bashes on and on the unfortunate soul.

"JII-CHAN!" Luffy hollers to gain his attention.

"WHAT?" he shots back loudly to her.

"What are these papers for?" she asks, sounding honestly curious.

"I'm hiring for your personal babysitter for you," Garp's voice lowers down after his cathartic rant.

Luffy gazes with a look of mischief at her grandfather and she grins. "I like this one!" a hands points out in a picture of young Smoker.

And that's how Smoker is pulled purposely into Luffy's world, again.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**REVIEWS AND FAVES are both wanted *LOL***

This two will bear fruition to another chapter along with the muse.

_And so before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	2. The White Hunter

**Disclaimer:**

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda. No money is being made off this piece of fiction.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Dear muse of mine just had to be attracted to glittering stuff—I'd sworn I'd rather not get involved with _(like writing a fic set in One Piece universe—a boatload of challenge). _However, this one is a bunch of fluff for laughs and squeals _(if it resulted any, that is)._

Hope you like it *crosses fingers*

**Credits:**

The cover picture isn't mine.

* * *

**Chapter Summary:**

Poor Smoker, he's demoted as a nanny of irrepressible, obstinate, and unpredictable Monkey D. Luffy. Add her talent for mischief winding up all sanity's atom to split apart, Luffy practically turns the world upside down. And guess who's on the front row? Smoker sure has better luck taming a raging storm than her.

**Warnings:**

Time/dimensional-travel, AU, violence, language, BAMF & femLuffy, OOC!ALERT, self-betaed

* * *

**The White Hunter**

* * *

Personally, Smoker shouldn't have pick up that one particular transponder snail. That specific one is more like a bait waiting for its unlucky _prey_. And it keeps on ringing, grating his ears.

Just like its owner, it won't take no for an answer.

"What?" he asks gruffly after its 8th rings. He couldn't care less who's on the other line. That someone disturbs his relaxation time of smoking.

"Hey to you, too."

Smoker knows whose voice it belongs to, but that doesn't mean he had to like it.

His brows furrows._ What is it this time?_

"Garp-san," Smoker greets with unusual politeness.

Paused. "Such good manners sounded so unlike you," the voice comments in humor.

"What is it?"

"I have a request." _Clearly, it is not a request but a command._ "I want you to keep an eye on her."

"Keep an eye on her," Smoker repeats. "Who's that?" he clarifies.

"My grandchild," Garp's voice replies proudly.

"Who?!" Smoker sits up straight startling several of his subordinates.

_This _man had a grandchild? _Is the world ending?_ It spells trouble in a bold uppercase letters.

In addition as a warning, the other threatens him that there will be no monkey business involved or _else._ That coming from one of the laid-back and lazy vice-admiral is very terrifying enough.

Such luck,_ his _grandchild _sure_ is one trouble magnet after all.

Smoker groans out loud. He should not have picked _it._ "When is this grandchild of yours coming?" he asks carefully hiding the complaint in his voice.

As if the other will hopefully change his mind. Monkey D. Garp _is_ a child with single-minded determination to sweet treats.

"Since you are there in East Blue whether you accept it or not. You will keep an eye on Luffy-chan." Even if it is stated in a cheery tone, it is a serious order from Monkey D. Garp.

That did not change the fact he's been demoted to a nanny _without_ paycheck.

"When and where?" Smoker asks abruptly wanting this call to end before all his sanity is ripped to shreds.

"You will know when and where," the other repeats with a tone sounding so cruel and gleeful.

And just like that the call ended with a soft hiss.

Later on, the statement—_in every turn trouble follows that man's grandchild_ never sounded so true, and whether Smoker likes it or not, the brat is his responsibility now.

**(´0_0`|||)**

These are the facts Smoker has garnered concerning Monkey D. Luffy during their meet-ups:

**One:**_ She's no light-eater. (Look what happened to his wallet)._

Loguetown's main base dinner hall…

Smoker is more worried at the amount of food she's partaking. The amount is not normal especially with her body size of a six year old child. Though it's a mystery, Luffy's small size retains its cute, mini-size even from the ridiculous amount of food she's eating. And there's no hint of the endless nourishment visible to the naked eye.

_Still, where did the food go in? That's sure is one bottomless pit of a stomach._

Barely glancing at the seven dozens of cleaned plates at the table, Smoker mused idly. "I need to stop spoiling you."

He couldn't still believe he's taken down by a smile from her.

Inside his pocket, his wallet wails in despair. The food bills has laid waste to his payroll—_too numerous to count._

She shots him a beaming.

His heart melts. _Again._

Inwardly, he wonders when she's going to stop eating.

**(T_T)**

**Two:**_ She's out-spoken, insolent to be précised. (An annoyance when he's the one being target. Then again, anyone is a victim when her mouth is concern)._

In one of their luncheon in Marineford...

"Ice-man is only the one in the three of you to wear a normal suit," she comments out of the blue.

Someone coughs hiding his laughter.

"Why are you wearing flower-patterned shirt?" Utensils pause in the air. The air grows in heat.

Pokes. "Is that a flower brooch? Are you going to a party?" She snaps her fingers as if realizing something. "THAT MEANS FOOD! Can I go with you?" A bright smiled dazzles the scowling face of the receiver.

Someone spits his tea out.

Then abruptly, she shifts to another. She barely paid a glance and dismisses the one with the vertical yellow striped suit. She did not even bother to comment his style, and goes back to eat the nth serving.

Borsalino aka Kizaru heaves out a dramatic sigh of dejection with a cloud of gloom.

It's all an act, those around him knows that. Borsalino couldn't care less what she thinks of him.

A vein pops. "Why don't you say anything to him?!" The one with the rose brooch asks in rage.

She takes her time to swallow the food for several seconds _a rarity_ before tilting her head in confusion. "It's nice..?"

The corner of the man's lips twitch in irritation.

Now, Garp did not bother to his grin.

Plainly, what she just said is a statement not a question.

Smoker has to give her that. Luffy is one of the few people who could without a care throw a compliment meant to be an insult wrecking one's self-esteem.

Akainu aka Sakazuki stands out like a volcano prepared to erupt.

Sengoku sighs.

Tsuro gives a look meant as a gesture for Akainu to settle down. He did so albeit, grudgingly.

They all turn back to their meal. Most in hurry to finish the meal or else they'll have to burst from the comical scene in laughter inside this room.

A very bad idea when there's a bloodhound that can and without second thoughts will _surely_ hunt them down if they dare to laugh on his face.

_However, they could do that in the privacy of their rooms_, they console inwardly to themselves.

**(****ノ****^o^)****ノ～ヽ****(^o^****ヽ****)**

**Three:**_ She's the epitome of magnetic charisma. (All people men and woman, young and old fell in one swoop in her presence)._

A meeting..?

Garp growls."I have nothing against you brat…but if you have any weird ideas concerning Luffy-chan, I will make sure your life is a living hell!"

The male secretary of Sengoku blanches. "But sir! For your information, more than half of your platoon would blush in your grandchild's presence!" The secretary then points at the eavesdroppers young and old alike including the Admiral and Vice-admirals in the base who attended the impromptu meeting set by Garp himself.

Obviously, the subject of the meeting is his grandchild, Monkey D. Luffy.

In the background, Smoker who's only there because Aoikiji cheerfully told him he had to, has to admit that might be the case, Luffy _is _simply irresistible. No exception.

"Your grandchild is just so… so…" the secretary stutters red face seemingly suffering from cardiac arrest caused by Garp's face of evil.

Unexpectedly, Garp beams abruptly dispelling the aura of menace he's projecting before. "Adorable? Charming? Cute?" he asks like a rabid fan's enthusiasm.

All heads nod in affirmation at this.

"Yeah, that's my grandchild!" Pretty flowers then materialize behind Garp.

Then, all the pretty flowers wilt when he roars. "BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU LOT WON'T DO YOUR JOB RIGHT WHEN LUFFY-CHAN IS DISTRACTING YOU!"

Sengoku nods approvingly at this. Others inwardly question Garp's sanity.

"Now where is that photo of her in a bunny costume?" Garp has the audacity to blush making the rest of them to sweat-dropped at him.

"GAAAARP!" Sengoku yells, veins twitching on his forehead.

"But she is really pretty to look at…" whoever says that is immediately impaired by Garp's infamous fist of love.

Smoker has to control the tempting urge to roll his eyes from the scene, again.

**(^****﹏****^)**

**Four:**_ She's unpredictable as weather. (One might well as erase the word impossible in the dictionary when she's concern)._

In a journey through Calm Belt…

The medium-sized sea king makes its presence known with a growl, garnering much attention from anyone who has been watching the sea where it came from.

Smoker gives the _look _to his panicking subordinates, restraining them from running away. _They were Marines after all. Not sissies._

Beside him, Luffy pauses from her meal. "Hey!" she calls out with a wave to the sea king, and she disappears into thin air. Reappearing a second later at the railing where the sea king is.

Inwardly, a question pops out from him. _Did she just greet the sea king?_

Only, Luffy's warm regard to the sea king prevents him to chase the thing out. Nevertheless, with his seastone-tipped jutte at hand, Smoker approaches the two warily.

To everyone's surprise the sea king lowers its head. Luffy smiles, lifting her right hand to pat the sea king's head, effectively ignoring the dinner plates-sized eyes of many gaping at them.

"Is there something you want?"

The beast growls softly in what sounds like an answer.

"Ah…you need food, rabbit-san?"

Smoker's subordinate are wary at this knowing what will happen next. _They are the meal._

Smoker's grip on the jutte tightens.

Most of them entirely overlook the question of _how did she communicates with the sea king. _Being under months of Smoker's tutelage has made them immune from such strange situation.

However, the sight is still mind-boggling. They all stilled, watching as Luffy only smiles fondly giving the beast a large portion of her meal.

As she feeds the sea king some meat, Smoker is thinking in the lines of Luffy, the glutton is generous to a sea king. _A very rare deed._

The new recruits however, are more concern of the beauty's mental health. She treats the sea king as though they are _friends._

Anyhow, later in the privacy of their minds, the more important question is: is it really possible to be friends with a sea king? To their general knowledge, sea kings are nothing but monsters whose favorite hobby aside from mating is to destroy any ship that stands in their way. Though, everyone in sane mind will not even dare to approach one. Sea kings are sailor's enemies in the Calm Belt after all.

With a last final pat to his head and an answering soft growl, the sea king dives back to the sea. Luffy waves at it until the beast could no longer be seen.

"The sea king just left without attacking us," someone whispers knees wobbling as he collapses on the deck.

Smoker eyes Luffy in question. She just shrugs at him sitting down again to her seat. Both turn back to their food with another additional order for their interrupted lunch.

Everyone stares at them with jaws on the floor. _What's with these two?_ _They act like nothing ever happened, _they screamed inside their minds.

Smoker inwardly snorts. _Freshies._

**\(^0^)/**

**Five:**_ She's no killer if worst comes to worst; she would only maim her enemies. (A fact he figured out, though it's still debatable)._

"They are still breathing, are they?" Smoker asks, dubiously looking at the pile of broken bones and limbs at the square.

"They are," she pokes one to prove it.

It moans pitifully.

"See?"

"…"

**(O.O)**

**Six: **_Luffy's unconcerned attitude to her wounds/injuries annoyed him. (BONUS: He's the one who ended up bandaging and fixing her)._

"I'm not that easy to kill, Smokey."

He ignores the nickname with ease; feet still pacing in the sick bay in irritation. At the nth turn, he glowers at her. "You did not inform me that you're injured _on purpose,_" he hisses menacingly.

"Cuz, you're a mother hen," Luffy grumbles quietly, unsuccessfully.

"_What did you just say?"_

She blinks owlishly in innocence. "Nothing."

Smoker's eyes narrow at the blatant lie.

One stomach growls in hunger.

"I'm hungry," she demands in a pleading tone.

He twitches, fighting a smile. _At least someone's back to her feet._ Smoker only sighs, knowing what the end will be.

Inside his pocket, his wallet cringes.

**(****˘Д ˘****)**

**Seven: **_Monkey D. Luffy is one of the most dangerous and strongest people he had met, but she's vulnerable and cute when she's asleep (must not squeal in sheer kawaii overload)._

The two are on a motorboat coming back from the recent mission. In the seat, Smoker hugs the small body against him. The head on his left shoulder has grown heavy. She's not moving beside him.

One of the fearsome people in Grand Line is knocked out cold.

Unbidden warmth rises within him. She trusted him enough to let her guard down to take care of her.

_How adorable._

Someone moaned in the background.

Smoker glares at the said individual, disregarding on purpose the jealous looks from the others, a superior smirk on his lips as he did so.

As if on cue, his arms tighten protectively at the figure by his side.

_The end?_

* * *

**REVIEWS AND FAVES are both wanted *LOL***

This two will bear fruition to another chapter along with the muse.

_And so before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	3. Metamorphosis

**Disclaimer:**

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda. No money is being made off this piece of fiction.

The cover picture isn't mine.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

First off, _Persona of Antithesis_ is **Avis**' brainchild. She had given me free reign in her stories, and so I decided to revamp her One Piece fanfic (_a sure challenge_). This chapter is a compilation of the Dawn Island Arc with minimum changes from the original fanfic of Avis.

Regarding the questions of Smoker's nanny days it happened when Luffy was 5 years old.

_**Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites:**_

_JoshRand1982, iiILurvePancakesii,_ onegirl92, caring16, Winters Lantern, theyuyu96, adellealyla, guest, and GUEST.

* * *

**Warnings:**

Time/dimensional-travel, AU, violence, language, BAMF & femLuffy, OOC!ALERT, self-betaed

* * *

**Metamorphosis**

* * *

**00.**

Monkey D. Luffy is a lot of things.

The child is outrageously bold, daring and fearless.

The child is one headstrong person, pity, to those who stands on her way.

The child is cruelly blunt: No Exceptions. Summed it up—with a couldn't care less attitude with formalities and protocols.

The child has an air of maturity with a splash of innocence—truly a mindboggling contradiction.

In a certain point of view, this child is a danger magnet/troublemaker with a talent for mischief and mayhem.

But all will have to agree with this one statement.

Monkey D. Luffy is one unpredictable persona of many layers.

And this current world she landed on, will have to adapt through the changes she will in no doubt bring with her.

**01. **—**Shank's POV—**

The hungry sea king turns its beady eye on Luffy, his latest food on the many after the bandit.

Shanks, who arrived just in time prepares himself for a small wave of haki for the sea king. His arms curled protectively to his precious cargo.

The sea king is swimming its way forward to them. Nearing the targets it opens his mouth widely, Shanks then waits for the inevitable chomping.

_Minutes later…_

Shanks chokes, disbelief written on his face realizing he and Luffy are both in the seashore.

Safe and whole.

_Several weeks later…_

"You are leaving then?" Luffy gazes at Shanks with tears in her eyes.

The crew watches on in silence at the sideline, steeling themselves for the heartbreaking sight of Luffy's image.

Shanks smiles without sadness as he looks at the child before him. "What is your dream, Luffy?" he asks gently.

Luffy sniffs and answers, "I will find One Piece."

Her statement brings a grin to Shanks and his crew's faces.

"It wouldn't do you any good. You're still too little!" Shanks points out, laughing kindly is a teasing manner. "There's no way you can become a pirate!" he adds jokingly.

"Yes, I will!" Luffy says with absolute conviction, the certainty of her words attract the attention of the entire harbor. "One day I'll have a ship and the strongest crew better than yours! And we'll be more famous than anyone else! A crew that will not be forgotten even if the whole world will fade away," she took in a deep breath, preparing a declaration. "And I'M GONNA BECOME THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD!"

"Hmm… so you're gonna be better than us, are you?" Shanks responds, taking off the straw hat on his head. "Well then, this hat is my gift to you. It is my favorite hat, take care of it." He then places the straw hat on Luffy's head.

"Promise to me that you'll return it, when you have become a great pirate." With those words, Shanks walks towards the ship, and then he pauses realizing something.

"Why a queen?" Shanks asks, sounding honestly curious with a confuse look on his face.

"I'm a girl, Shanks," Luffy deadpans.

A long moment of silence passes.

"WHAT?!" they all yell in a mixture of disbelief and shock.

The mayor of the village snorts, "Luffy is a girl, you moronic pirates!"

Together with his crew sans Ben, his first mate, Shanks fall down anime style.

Recovering himself from the truth, with a look of incredulity on his face, Shanks coughs. "In that case, I'll see you soon." With a laid back smile on his lips, Shanks pulls his crew to their feet from their petrified state at the same time waving his hands to Luffy and the villagers.

**02**_**.**_

Shanks stares at the skies with a grin on his lips.

Ben Beckham sitting beside him asks, "So you did not realize that Luffy is a girl, captain."

The crew within ear shot yells, "YOU KNEW ALL ALONG, BEN?!"

Ben nods sagely. "Luffy is too pretty for a boy."

This made the crew and Shanks to stare at him, thinking out loud that he's a pervert.

Ben glowers at them, gulping down his beer, he inquires to Shanks, "So why bother to give Luffy your precious straw-hat, captain?"

"I-I d-don't know must be an impulse moment," Shanks stammers in response.

Ben studies him for five seconds. "You're not thinking of her chasing you, you know how in the future…"

All the men laugh except the receiver of the question.

"Of course not!" Shanks vehemently denies.

Ben snorts. "Then, why are you blushing?" amusement evident in his eyes and his voice, Ben leaves as Shanks flounders from his question.

"OI! WHAT ARE YOU SMIRKING FOR, BEN?!"

**03. **—**Ace's POV—**

Portgas D. Ace perks up from where he was. This kind of noise only comes from one source. And that person is Monkey D. Garp, his adoptive grandfather. Ace waits until the said man comes in to the view. Ebony eyes then narrow to what the marine brought with him.

Garp knocks at the door his irritation clear as the door begins to tear down from the force.

Without any warning, the door flies open and a large woman with bushy bright orange hair comes out. If looks can kill, Garp will be out in any seconds flat.

"Who is it? Who's the reckless daredevil..." she threatens, in bodily harm to those who dare disturbs her in her turf.

"It's me," Garp says calmly, in boss mode.

The bushy-haired woman freezes, blanching as she cringes in fear losing her bad ass welcome when she saw Garp.

"GA…GARP!" she stammers.

Behind her, two other people come running out from the house. One is a short man with a turban and the other is a man that had a headgear making him looks like a chicken. Their faces wash in panic as if doom is upon them from Garp's visit.

"You're as healthy as a horse Dadan," Garp begins with a mad twinkle on his eyes.

"Oh, no…" the woman moans with a stricken look on her face."I wish I did not wake up this morning. Give me a break, oh fate! Ace is already ten years old, you know!" she weakly protests.

While this is happening, Ace watches on with rapt attention at that day's entertainment.

"Is he?" Garp asks his chest puffs out with pride. "Time sure flies away. I miss taking care of that child."

_Taking care of him?_ Ace scoffs inwardly. The man badly needs to change the wording to that statement.

"You dump him on us," the man with a chicken headgear quips in stage whisper.

"It's nothing to be proud of!" the short man with the turban yells. "He brings trouble after trouble. If he gets any wilder, he'll be carted off to the dungeon along with us. Please, take him with you!"

"Anyway," Garp continues, conveniently ignoring their protestations.

"Don't change the subject!" the turban wearing short man hollers irately, totally forgetting who he is talking to.

Then, the three finally notices the beautiful child behind Garp. An abrupt change in the air happens.

"A child who is lost is behind you, Garp!" Dadan exclaims with wonder.

As if on cue, Garp grabs the child lifting him up so that their cheeks plaster together and booms. "This is my beautiful grandchild, Luffy!"

Ace chokes, nearly falling down from that particular declaration. Dadan and the two men stare in disbelief, inside their minds they can't comprehend that _Garp_ has an angel as a grandchild.

"There is no way that child is your grandchild, Garp!" Dadan blurts indignant of that one fact.

Garp turns deaf ears. "Luffy, say hello to these ingrates," Garp presses on to the child.

The child called, Luffy tilted his head to the side, and smiles radiantly. "Hi! I'll be living with you from now on," he declares with a grin.

All living things nearly turn blind from the cuteness overload. His audience is turn between the feeling of gloom and to squeal in admiration. They all turn to Garp in doubt of the child's words.

"Yes," Garp confirms and before they can voice any outcry. He silences with a stern level 3 look. "Watch over my grandchild, or else you'll face the hell of my fury!"

The men all begin to spasm in pain from the warning.

"Oh, not again…" they groan out loud.

All Dadan can do is to glower at Garp, again.

"You all should be grateful, I've turned a blind eye with every crimes you've committed in this area," Garp says very proud of his generosity.

"I don't know about that, you just sign us up for a lifetime of headache," the turban wearing short man mutters.

"But prison isn't a nice place either," the man with a chicken headgear reminds him.

"That child could be a monster in an angel's disguise," the turban wearing short man adds his belli.

"Another one…" Dadan intones as if the truth just sinks finally into her.

Ace frowns knowing nothing will change Garp's decision. Well then…

**04. **—**Luffy's POV—**

Luffy shifts her eyes and meet his, stopping the said person from doing something nasty. Her heart clenches in pain seeing him again.

The others take notice of her sudden focus turn to what she's looking at. Following Luffy's line of sight, they recognize the figure sitting on a large rock.

"AH, ACE!" They all exclaim.

An uncomfortable silence echoes as Luffy has her staring match with Ace.

That frown. _Checks._

His patented glare. _Checks._

_This is harder than I thought. _She can act nonchalant outside but her heart bleeds for his soon-to-be-brother once again. Then without any warning, Luffy smiles warmly and catch a glimpse of surprise at his expression before Ace covers it with a scowl.

"Luffy, this is Ace," Garp introduces her to Ace. "He's three years older than you. Starting today, you'll be living with these people. So try to get along with them."

"Stop deciding things for yourself, Garp!" Dadan screams in outrage in the background.

Garp turns to her and gives her a look that could wither even a diamond. "WHAT?"

On cue, Dadan and the other bandits recoil with defeat. "We'll take care of them," they conceded grudgingly.

"Then my business here is done," Garp concludes and he grasp Luffy's right shoulder, "don't kill them."

This one statement results several startled looks.

"I'll come by later when I have the time," giving a casual wave to them Garp leaves.

Luffy eyes the beast Ace had taken down she begins to leave when Dadan calls out.

"And where do you think you're going?" Dadan's voice makes the other inhabitants to go out from the house.

Sparing Dadan a glance with a tilt of her head she answers, "I'm going out to hunt."

"A little child like you is going out?" one clarifies.

"You'll be dead," another adds.

"That child is Garp's grandchild," the short bandit with the turban says in a deadpan voice.

This cause the rest to quake in fear and horror. "GARP?!"

"He's going to live with us now," the short bandit in the turban again says with the same deadpan voice.

Everyone begins to panic like headless chicken when they heard the bad news. "Oh, no! We're doomed!"

"Boss has no backbone at all!" another bandit adds in hysterics.

"Shut up!" Dadan yells with red face. "We've got food here, brat! Garp will have my head if something happens to you in your first day of stay." As if on cue, she slams a plate stacked high with meat on the ground.

Luffy stares blankly at the plate. "That won't be enough."

Her words are not heard since all the bandits charge towards the plate like a pack of hungry wolves after a wholesome feast.

Honestly, she can't see how Ji-chan's brain works. _And it's really a wonder why his blood are the most wanted criminals in the world._

But.

A nostalgic smile blossoms on Luffy's lips as her eyes pore over her surroundings. Starting today, her life will be a game of survival.

She absently notices Ace's presence as he follows her.

_Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?_

Many days later see Luffy doing her own adventure. She really does miss this place. She feels more than sees a pair of shadows following her around. It seems that Ace is curious about her and drags Sabo with him for the ride to solve the latest conundrum in this island.

_No matter, this is a start. _The gleam in her eyes will make anyone who stands in her way to wet themselves from fear.

**05. **—**Ace's POV—**

Ace's scowl is practically permanent on his face; something is wrong with the new kid. The place is a maze of survival, and the brat did not appear to be worried.

"Ace," Sabo calls, "there is a big wolf coming on his way."

This announcement jolts Ace back to the present. He twitches as the wolf follows the brat around with an almost lovesick expression. Ace sighs this brat is giving him more headache than anyone else.

Later on, Ace chooses to ignore the new kid and went on his usual job. He did not care what happens when he finds out the brat is now attempting to follow him. However, even the appearances of alligators, giant snakes, tigers, and other beast did not deter the said kid. Ace's plot such as the rockslide and cliff throwing went to nothing.

The brat even has the gall to wear bondage over his body like a fashion model. No bruises and cuts can be found though. It unnerves him to see that the brat is perfectly fine and comfortable to this place not a single sign of panic and wounds in the brats features can be seen. That carefree and laidback attitude confuses and annoys him more and more.

Add to another mystery is the brat's bottomless pit of a stomach; he eats like a crowd of thirty men. Dadan and the other bandits are actually horrified but calmed down since the brat hunts down his own food like it's nothing.

But Ace's indifference is completely erased after one particular event.

_After Porchemy's Incident..._

"_Thank you," Luffy says bowing his head, "but I can take care of it."_

_"Why you!" Ace yells._

_"Oi, oi, calm down, Ace," Sabo says in a placating manner. "He's just thanking us." Then Sabo pauses realizing the latter bit of what Uphy just said. "YOU! UNGRATEFUL BRAT!"_

_Ace then proceeds to calm Sabo down, but not much, since they both need to calm down._

_"If you had not tied me up this would not had happen." Luffy retorts._

_This makes the two stop to reconsider their actions when Ace finally asks the question that bothers him the moment Luffy steps on their territory._

_"Why are you following me?" he yells._

_Luffy stares straight to his eyes. "I'm alone. I want you to be my friend."_

_Reduce to speechlessness, Ace did not say anything for a moment._

_Sabo then comments drily, "I'm turn between in awe of your iron clad determination or beating you to a pulp because of your recklessness."_

_"I don't get you!" Ace shouts after finally finding his voice, "You could have told them? Don't you realize that they would kill women and children without a second thought?!"_

_"If I'd told them…you wouldn't have been my friend." Is the brat's unexpected answer._

_Ace points at the brat. "That's better than dying isn't it?" he asks, voice tight."Why do you want to be my friend so bad?" he demanded angrily._

_"Because…it is what I want."_

_No one wants to be with me._

_"Your parents?" he asks curiously_

_"Don't know them."_

_That's better than knowing who he is._

_"You will suffer being with me," Ace warns the brat._

_"Being alone is much worse than being hurt."_

_Wise words and recklessness, what a combo…_

_"You need me?" Ace wants to hear it._

_"Yes," the brat answers with a nod._

_"You want me to live?" Ace's voice is almost a whisper; beside him Sabo eyes him with sympathy._

_"Of course I do!" is the brat's answer without a moment of hesitation._

_Ace is overwhelmed by the sudden burst of warmth spreading from deep within him._

_Then, he smirks, "I see…but I hate spoiled brats like you."_

From that incident, Ace acknowledges the strength of character in the brat. It baffles him how the brat let himself be attack by spike gloves the beasts in the forest did not even lay a single scratch on him.

Through everything done to him, Luffy stubbornly refused to sell out Ace, the same boy who once had plans to kill him in cold blood and ignored his presence for several months. Luffy had no reason to help Ace, but he held his secret with strong will.

Somehow, Luffy becomes one of them. It's perplexing, but it feels right. Then Sabo ever the perfect gentleman had convinced the unwilling Dadan to adopt him and there are now three kids living with the mountain bandits.

A bizarre situation, but it happens.

It did not occur to Ace that this is the moment when he's utterly and completely hook to Luffy charms. He also did not realize how this indomitable willpower will also terrify and awe other people the brat will meet in the future.

**06.**

Then, comes the day when they Ace and Luffy find out about Sabo's real identity. There is a tense silence on the cliff where the confrontation takes place.

"I'm not hiding anything!" Sabo exclaims in denial.

"Really?" Luffy asks giving him with a look of disbelief.

Ace glares pointedly at Sabo. "Spit it out! Do you think it is right to keep secrets from each other!?"

Sabo cringes at the tone of Ace's voice, and turns his head away. "It's nothing."

Ace grabs him forcefully choking Sabo.

"If you won't," Ace warns. "I'll beat you up!" Ace then turns to Luffy. "Lend me a hand!"

Luffy gives him a look which manages to quell Ace's frayed temper. "Sabo, just tell us. Ace won't give it a rest until you give up." Luffy smiles angelically at the two. "Not to mention, I want to know whatever it is you're keeping us from to."

The two appear to be in dazed from Luffy's smile.

Sabo in red face coughs. "I'll...I'll tell you!"

If possible the smile changes to something heavenly.

"I...I'm" Sabo starts slowly. "I'm the son of noble." And he begins his tale; Sabo reveals that he's not an orphan. His parents are alive but they treated him like some dispensable property. They want him to be the perfect proper noble so he can marry a princess and increase his family's rank. They want an heir to protect their status and fortune. But Sabo can't reach his parents standards, and because of this, his parents will fight many times making Sabo to think he isn't good enough for them. All of these are said in a bitter tone of voice.

"I feel bad for you two," indicating Ace and Luffy's orphan's status, "but even with parents, I'm still alone," Sabo says, his voice cracks a little at the end.

"I see," Ace says his entire face becomes downcast.

Luffy's eyes harden to cold fury but did not say anything.

Sabo suddenly stands up his voice in fervor. "Ace, Luffy, the three of us will set out to sea someday! We will be free from this country and anyone. I want to see the whole wide world and write a book about it!"

Luffy's downcast face went unnoticed by the two.

Sabo continues, "I'll do anything whatever it takes to be prepared for the near journey! Let's become stronger and become pirates!" At this declaration, the two audiences laugh in agreement as the heavy mood dissipates replace by an air of thrill and wonder.

Ace walks towards the cliff, "You don't have to tell what to do. I will become a pirate who will defeat everyone in my way," a strain smile appears on Luffy's lips goes unnoticed. "My name will be famous across the world! A living proof that I lived!" Ace looks at the sky with defiant determination. "I don't care what the world will think, no matter what, I won't lose to them! I'll become a great pirate and stand above everyone else!"

Then, Ace and Sabo turn to Luffy expecting the final piece.

"I'll stand as witnesses to your dreams," Luffy starts and takes a deep breath proclaiming the dream for the heavens above to hear.

Both Ace and Sabo look at Luffy in surprise.

Inside her mind, Luffy fires up with determination. _Ace and Sabo, I will make sure you two will accomplish your dreams._

**07.**

Ace approaches them with a bottle of sake on his hands in the tree trunk they made as a table. On the tree trunk were three sake cups.

"I'm sure we'll end up on three different ships, since the three of us our too stubborn for our own good," Ace says making Sabo and Luffy grin in confirmation as he put down the bottle of sake on the tree trunk.

Luffy peers at the bottle in recognition of whose it belonged to. "Dadan's going to be very mad, Ace."

Ace grins at Luffy in response and Sabo smirks, while Ace begins to pour the sake into each of the cups. "Did you know that when men drink together, they can become brothers?"

"I like the sound of that." Luffy's eyes are misty in nostalgia.

A huge grin blooms on Sabo's face.

"Since, the three of us will be captain of our own ship and will be on our separate ways. The three of us will be united by our bond of brotherhood," Ace states giving a soft smile. "Time and location won't break that bond!"

Each of them picks up a cup.

Before they can take a sip, Ace looks at Sabo and Luffy. "From now on, we are brothers!"

Together, they all clink their cups together before drinking the sake, sealing their eternal bond of their family.

"Yeah!" they all shout with happiness.

Happy, that they are no longer alone in this world.

**08.**

_Bath time later…_

"What's up with you, Luffy?" Ace barks furiously. "The three of us are brothers now so we celebrate by taking a bath together!"

Sabo backs away sensing Luffy's dark aura at the same time wondering what's up with her. He flinches as he saw Ace hit by a tree Luffy throws at him. Months had passed since the day Luffy followed Ace, Cabo inwardly admitted the fact that Luffy's strength is on different wavelength than theirs.

"Go away, hentai!" Luffy screams.

"What did you just call me?" Ace shouts in disbelief.

"HENTAI!" Luffy shouts back in emphasis at Ace.

Sabo acknowledges the fact that Luffy is a pretty _boy _but calling Ace that is just_ too_ much.

A vein twitches in Ace as he lunges to Luffy .

Having enough of this tirade, Sabo takes a deep breath and commands them loudly. "YOU TWO, STOP IT!" His voice shakes the forest.

Sabo barks. "Calm down, Ace!" He then glares at Luffy. "What's wrong Luffy? We are brothers! And brothers can take a bath together."

Luffy gives him an icy glare, inwardly he cringes in fear but he must not back down.

Dadan and her group of bandits witnessing the act shiver from the icy glare in Luffy's eyes. This is the first time they see that kind of intensity in Luffy's eyes.

But what shook their whole being the most are the words Luffy will say.

"Are you all blind? I am a girl, Ace!" Luffy emphasizes the first words like she is speaking to an idiot and the last sentence with resignation.

The earth stands still for a _very_ long moment.

One. Two. Three.

The sound of wind whistles while a tumbleweed is blown away aimlessly.

Three. Two. One.

"NANI?!"

Everyone's eyes pop out from their eyes. Numerous numbers of jaws drop on the ground as they stare in disbelief of the pretty boy er, girl in front of them.

Sabo frowns and calmly states. "I believe I need to clean my ears again. What was that again, Luffy?"

"I. Am. A. Girl." Luffy says slowly, rolling her eyes heavenward.

Ace immediately moves to grasp the bottle of water.

"That's not-"

"I know," the freckled boy says miserably, then empties its contents in a single gulp. "I know."

"How come Garp did not tell us, Luffy?" Dadan who finally find her voice asks incredulous of how Garp forgot to tell them that fact.

Luffy just shrugs. "You never ask."

Everyone groans.

_So that was why Uphy always took a bath alone. _Ace and Sabo realize within their minds.

In a way, Ace and Sabo lost a brother, but gain a sister.

**09.**

In one of the celebratory feast inside Dadan's house, the group of bandits is doing their usual mayhem of getting drunk. The usual food battle commences.

Then, Garp surfaces out of from the dark, just in time to hear Ace's words.

"I'm going to become a pirate before you do, so just forget about it," Ace says smugly in answer to Sabo. Not knowing, that a large shadow of doom looms behind him with red eyes.

Luffy who is about to say something stops as she notices 'it'. In response, Dadan pales in deathly white seeing the figure behind Ace, Luffy, and Sabo. The other bandits noticing their boss' reaction eyes the direction of the figure, all cringe in horror and begin to spit out their sake to one another.

Ace who finally notices Luffy's silence and the bandits' reaction pauses, a grunt is all it takes for him to turn in sickly blue color of fear. He slowly turns around to see a very pissed off vice-admiral behind them.

They all witness how Garp's eyes practically glow red in savage demonic anger as he glares down at them.

"Saying those crap again!" Garp roars and the creepy characteristic grin is there, much more horrifying on his face.

Sabo watches from Luffy who is still quiet to Ace who looks like suffering from heart attack, he stares at the man in a petrified state. He had never seen this side of Ace. All cold composure dissolves to nothing in the presence of the older man.

"You will become marine solders not pirates!" Garp continues with a mighty raising his fists. As he's about to slam his fist to Ace, a voice stops him.

"Ji-chan!"

Everyone in the table felt like the air is still. Luffy is smiling her usual angelic smile and yet, her eyes are… quite frightening. They all catch the glimpse of the quick change of Garp who before was angry is now a good and obedient sheep.

_What just happened? _They all wonder especially Ace and Sabo.

"Sabo, this is Garp, our grandpa. Ji-chan meets Sabo." Luffy simply introduces the two.

"He's Garp?" Sabo whisper in horror as all the color drained from his face, he eyes the open window as is to escape. "He's your grandfather?"

"Squirt, you're going out to sea as a pirate too," Garp growls glaring at Sabo.

Sabo is too scared in fear to answer.

Luffy's smile turns to megawatt and all are intimidated by it.

Garp cracks his knuckles in answer shaking off the fear brought by Luffy's smile. "I'm going to give you three a real workout," Garp announces as he finishes cracking his knuckles a sadistic grin on his face is purely evil.

For the life of them, Ace and Sabo turn to Luffy for help.

Luffy just tilts her head to the side. "I thought you two will do everything necessary to be stronger." Really, she's so cute but her statement rolls another ball of yarn so to speak. The two exchange glances before screaming like demented monkeys and bolted for the door, nearly knocking over each other.

"You can't get escape!" Garp declares as he gives chase to the two outside.

Dogra frowns. " Luffy-chan, you're not helping them?"

"They'll be fine," Luffy says offhandedly but the boy's screams of terror counters her statement. Sighing, she stands up, eyeing the feast hungrily before muttering. "Maybe not."

Outside, the two boys keep on running as if the devil himself is giving chase as Garp chases them with maniacal, sadistic laughter.

A long-suffering sigh escapes from Luffy. _This will be a long night._

**10.**

The seasons change, and Luffy learns of Ace's origins from Sabo. It brings a short rift between the siblings but it settles like down like water under the bridge. Then the confrontation between them and the tiger happens.

Ever since, they found out she's a girl, Ace and Sabo are both treating her like a fragile crystal. She did not appreciate their over protectiveness, at all. That's why she let the tigress, who she names Whiskers to chase after her stubborn brothers. The two needs it as training.

Another season passes; their tree house needs some furnishing and they have to get the supplies from the Gray Terminal. Another confrontation will take place, as Luffy grins causing her brothers to shudder in fear.

Once they reach the Gray Terminal, the three went on their separate ways to gather the necessities they need for their tree house.

When a commotion takes away their attention, they heard Sabo's yell.

Ace pales at the same time Luffy entire features are on alert mode. They drop everything in search for Sabo who they find surrounded by a group of pirates. Ace distracted them by rolling down a barrel.

Minutes pass as the three of them beat the pirates down. Then, Bluejam shows himself with a gun. The three take cover before the bullets hit them. The pirates cornered them when another group appears. They are soldiers of the kingdom with them is Sabo's father.

"Father..." Sabo whispers in chagrin.

"Master, he doesn't have a single scratch on him," Bluejam informs his father before turning to his henchman with a nod.

Realization hits on Ace and he roars in horror. "Sabo!"

"This two…" Sabo's father says looking down between Luffy and Ace with derision, "are bad influence to my son. I am his father. I know what is best for him. As a son, it is Sabo's duty to obey what his parents tell him to." He points at Luffy. "You convince him to run away from home!"

Luffy glares at him. "No child is bound to the will of their parents, especially a jackass like you."

Sabo's father scoffs mockingly. "You are nothing but a thief!"

"How dare you, bastard!?" Ace hollers in savage anger.

The pirate holding Ace responds to the insolence by slamming Ace's face on the ground. Sabo who can't take it any longer evades the hands holding him and runs towards his father.

"Please stop, father!" Sabo yells. "It was my choice to leave home!"

Sabo's father stares icily at his son. "Be quiet!"

Two soldiers quickly grab Sabo pulling him away from his father.

"I'll leave the others in your hands," Sabo's father says with permission.

Bluejam nods. "Rest assured, I will do everything I can to make sure they will not bother your child again."

His statement makes Ace growls in anger. Luffy's eyes harden in icy anger.

"Wait, Bluejam!" Sabo cries. He turns back towards his father. "Father, it's alright. I understand!"

"Sabo," Luffy calls out interrupting whatever it is Sabo is going to say. The air around them grows distinctly chill.

"I have three questions," she starts. "Are you sure?"

Sabo senses the weight of the onyx eyes at him. For a moment, he can't speak but he nods. "Y-yes."

The slight stutter did not go amiss from Luffy's ears.

Everything and everyone are ignored as Luffy asks again in a calm voice. "Is it what you really want?"

Sabo's resolve wavers. He appears unsure how to answer.

"That's enough!" Sabo's father interrupts. "A noble should not be question by a mere plebian!"

His words fall to deaf ears when Luffy asks her final question.

"Will you be happy if you went back to them?"

"I-I…"

Sabo's hesitation is enough for Luffy

Luffy smiles angelically blinding everyone for a second. "Please, let go of me," she requests before disappearing into thin air.

The man holding her down startles in surprise, "Wha—"

Droplets of water appear out of nowhere surprising the men as it change its form to bullets. Luffy, who is above them points at them and whispers. "Water Shot," by her commands the blue bullets break in ranks as it assault every men except Ace and Sabo whose jaws literally drop on the ground.

"Crystal chain," Luffy utters again as a two ropes made of water appear on her hands the chain grabs Ace and Sabo in their petrified state. The two begins to run the moment Luffy puts them on the ground; their focus for now is to run away from Gray Terminal.

Arriving in the forest, the three collapse on the grass taking a brief rest to catch their breath.

"What on the Four Blues is that, Luffy!" Ace demands angrily after a few seconds. "You can do that after all this time?"

"Yes." Luffy answers in deadpan voice. At her answer, Ace eyes her with disbelief.

"Whew! What luck!" Sabo grins in triumph.

Ace turns on him, his expression darkening in anger. "And you! Who told you to sacrifice yourself for us?!" Ace yells in apoplectic rage.

"Yes. Never do that again, Sabo."

Sabo did not know why but Luffy's megawatt smile is much more terrifying than Ace's anger.

Sabo smiles weakly. "Yes, I promise."

"Anyway," Ace starts, "is that an Akuma no Mi ability Uphy?"

_Wow, he recovers fast!_ Sabo says inside his mind.

For a moment something dark crosses in Luffy's eyes. "No." Her tone is sending a message of don't-ask-me to both of them.

Ace and Sabo exchange brief glances setting the matter down for now. Then they smile that change to laughter of relief. Luffy laughs with them grateful that they are not separated for now.

**11. **—**Luffy's POV—**

It is dark now and the moon can be seen over the horizon. The wind is whistling its intensity exposes the strength it has as the trees move in its control. Without warning, a giant explosion and others are heard in the distance, turning the entire sky flaming red.

"Water Dragon!"

A huge dragon made of water comes out it propelling to the dark skies. A distant roll of thunder echoes above. Moments later, droplets of water fall, showering the earth with calmness of security. It doses the flames until not one is left to destroy the place.

Luffy scrutinizes the Gray Terminal. Everything is back to normal like the fire had never happened in the first place. No one had died, she made sure of that. She smiles in satisfaction.

**12.**

As time passes by, Garp had his visits every now and then. But his arrival is filled with dread. The training sessions is getting harsher and harder. By unspoken agreement Ace, Sabo, and Luffy did not voice out their desire to be a pirate whenever Garp was around. That last time was already enough for them.

Although, the three of them endured Garp's _Be a Marine Speeches_, it's getting tiresome. But they did not complain. However, Sabo was often the only one who can listen to Garp's speech while Luffy and Ace fall asleep. Sabo envied this talent of theirs.

The only stories that interested Ace were the stories about Whitebeard. He further claimed to take Whitebeard's head one day, although not for the reasons Garp approved of. This caused Luffy to burst in laughter startling all of them.

Dadan and the bandits are also becoming to be part of their lives. She seriously seemed more active as their foster mother, a role forcefully given to her by Garp. Makino also had taken her time to visit them twice a week with the mayor.

When they were not up to their adventure, Sabo became their professor. Their lessons were interesting as Sabo had the talent to be an entertaining lecturer. The three are even closer. Ace and Sabo's overprotective streak had lessened in time but it's still there.

Life with her brothers has its ups and downs but Luffy would not trade it for the world. For now, Luffy must urge her grandpa for a detour in Conomi Islands.

She needs to stop the feud that is bound to happen in Cocoyashi Village.

**13. ****Arlong's POV**

_Cocoyashi Village…_

Arlong hates humans and considers his race far superior than them. He also loves money for it makes the world goes round.

True, he loves his control over people be it money and deals like the one he has with Nezumi. Others call it punishment, but for him it is the act of acquisition.

But he will not deny that he is a collector.

He has an eye for talent when he sees one. With just one look, he knows its value be it alive or inanimate. He holds them with a leash because above all, he wants to preserve the gifts. He will even use long term agreement like the ones he has with Nami against Willy, his old rival.

He never wants anything more than he wants that child.

_Her._

He's intrigued by the ability/talent/skill that could defy anyone in its human form.

He first laid his eyes on her when she's just a child, a baby base on his standards. With one look, she can be mistaken as a boy with inhuman beauty. The truth is, the child is a girl. The child asks to speak with them privately, they give her their consent.

Her progress is slow but purposeful, with no haste, no tension, and no uneasiness like a walk in the park. For a human child, that is saying something.

He feels the foreboding ominous thought that he and his brothers are seeing is the pace of the invisible. A shiver of anticipation washes through him as he and his brothers watches on, riveted on the presence of the beautiful child. The humans do not feel it, but they, the fishmen did—the power restrained inside the child is immense and terrifying.

"It would seem you have a decision to make," the child begins softly.

A decision, his brothers glance at him—the child is offering a deal. Do they have the power to refuse?

He is careful about choosing his next words—it will change this situation. "You wish us to stop terrorizing this village-"

"No," the child cut him off before he can continue. "I can kill you all in order to stop you from terrorizing them, if I wanted it."

It is a simple admission that silences them all. It's not a threat—the child can do it no questions ask.

"You all have the potential to do something that will change this world," the child enthuses with sincerity. "But your hatred of humans blinded you all, barring your own individual ways to greatness," her sharp onyx eyes sizes them up like no one ever did before. Her gaze is much more disconcerting than those looks of contempt and disgust of the citizens of Sabaody Archipelago.

"There is path before you," her voice holds a strange certainty, "few of you have chosen to take it, I'm certain that you and your brothers never set your feet upon it. It is here again, another chance."

They all shiver as an unknown feeling creep on their spines. Looks of disbelief are exchange as they understand what she is referring to. She is asking the impossible.

"I know what you want," the child's words overrides their upcoming protest, for a moment Arlong finds himself as if he'd been stripped bare, he give a quick glance to the others noting they had felt what as he feels.

"It is not power, fame, prestige, or treasures of the highest kind." Dire trepidation fills them all.

Could the child see what it is in their mind, heart, and soul?

"They are masks you all deluded your selves with." They all cringe struck painfully by the truth.

"You will search to the ends of this world but you will find nothing unless you choose to step on it." The power behind her words warms the air around them, it hums as if alive.

For Arlong, he could not ever remember feeling so beaten to the inches of his life. Although, the child did not even touches them physically, but her words are made of powerful blows reaching through their hard skin to their hearts and minds. Their souls did not escape unscathed. Every manipulation, every deal, every lie he had abandon him. He's in the dark waiting for the first ray of daylight.

"This path requires a leap of faith. It will tip your world upside down. Ripping apart your beliefs, change you completely, and you will never go back to what you knew and understood before." The words sound so ominous, a finality.

"A path?" Hachi asks in confusion bewilderment. They need to know what it is. They need to understand. The child is speaking in riddles.

"It is something you have to decide for yourself." Her hands held out in welcome.

They were all staring at the child, struck speechless as if they were listening to the voice of destiny.

They feel the whole life they have is meaningless, nothing but broken shards of their lives. And perhaps they were—the child is showing them the path.

'This path requires a leap of faith. It will tip your world upside down. Ripping apart your beliefs, change you completely, and you will never go back to what you knew and understood before.' The child's words echoed hauntingly into his mind.

The child knows him much more than he had known himself.

He won't be content. _With nothing._

He wants more. _This path will show him more._

Though every other human gaze at them with disgust and contempt, there is no censure in the child's eyes—despite the fact he and his kind are hated by her kind. He admits that his kind is cruel and ruthless to the humans.

The child is giving this chance for Arlong to redeem himself and his kind.

_And this path might not appear again._

"It is something you have to decide for yourself."

A leap of faith indeed, he thought.

His eyes met hers. His hands grasping her welcoming, warm hands.

The child smiles warmly.

**14. **—**Luffy's POV—**

Since in her teens, Makino had vehemently forbid her to wear those frilly clothes in unimportant occasions and proceeded to toss some of them on the bonfire. Makino's thoughtfulness comforted Luffy somehow. Wearing those frilly things brings out uncomfortable feelings to her still.

However, Makino introduced her to another level so to speak.

"Luffy, you don't have to wear **'those dress'** I bought you before. Even in simple clothes you attract attention. With **'those dress'** you attract bad people." The _those dress_ words were emphasized by Makino's face of horror and irritation. "No matter what, all a girl need are these," Makino claimed while pointing at the frilly, lacy undergarments.

Luffy popped her eyes in alarm. **This is murder!** The masculine alter ego of her brain screamed. She didn't want to wear any of them at all. But seeing the fire of determination in Makino's eyes, Luffy could only gulp in agreement.

It seemed that when Makino could no longer shop for pretty clothes for Uphy it lead her to another contentment of knowing Luffy is still a girl by having her wearing those undergarments.

If Makino realized the look of alarm on Luffy's face, she did not give any indication. She just giggled in excitement as another and another undergarment was being tested by Luffy.

In time, Luffy had gotten used to wearing these things. She had to lay her pride down from Makino's kicked puppy face.

**15. **—**Makino's POV—**

A proud smile blossoms on Makino's lips as her eyes inspect the trio— Luffy now is a teenager, while Sabo and Ace are both sixteen years old.

Ace, through his intense training and weight lifting had developed a body that will make any females swoon. Since, he is much taller than the three, he's quite intimidating figure that the thugs didn't try to mess with him in fear of his strength.

Sabo, like Ace had grown to a man with impressing aura and a body that made a woman wants to touch it. His sculpted, handsome face is a sight to see. Add his gentleman manners; he's the perfect nice guy.

Luffy, to her wordless relief is quiet contented to have small but firm breast in a slender and lithe build. One of the things that are enchanting of her is her exotic pairs of onyx eyes framed by thick, long lashes. She cuts off her hair in a pixy cut. Silky and fluffy, raven locks framed her beautiful face. To her amusement, her hairdo is what made the others to mistake her as a boy. She did not even bother to correct them.

Whenever the three walks in the Goa, every people will stop and gaze at them with awe. The three looks like a model in the magazine. Although to their knowledge all of the three are males. They did not realize that the bishounen is actually a girl. However, to the citizen's chagrin, wherever and whenever the trio appears mayhem follows.

Makino frowns remembering the reason why Luffy is dressing up as a boy. Like the previous years, Garp-san has given Makino a pouch of belli to buy the children some clothing supplies. She was really excited that time to shop for Luffy. However, the results are dangerous for everyone's health.

_This is how it happens…_

"This is one of my favorite hobbies Luffy-chan," Makino says gaily as she guided Luffy to one of the clothes store in their village. Makino knows that Luffy does not really what to wear and how she dress, but Luffy is now growing up. It is time for Makino to introduce Luffy to some female weaknesses—shopping.

An indulgent smile is on Luffy's lips at the sight of that smile Makino has a sudden urge to hug Luffy.

_She's so cute!_ Makino squeals inside her head.

"I don't really care. But if that makes you happy then I will wear anything you say so," Luffy says in assent.

Minutes later, Makino begins to show bolt after bolt of clothes from nightgowns, pajamas, frilly dresses, shirts, shorts, pants, and etc. Makino always wore a smile of amusement and admiration as she scrutinizes each dress that Luffy is testing. Even in a simple dress, Luffy's beauty always stands out.

Luffy sweat drops as she eyes the pile of clothes on the counter. "Makino isn't that a bit much?"

Makino shakes her head. "Girls must always be prepared, you will never know what will happen. One day you will be sun bathing, the next you will be in a tea party."

"Ah…okay."

After what seems to be hours, they both went out of the store with more and more bags. Furthermore, Makino gives Luffy the instructions of what kind of clothing a girl must wore in certain occasions. After that, Makino left with a giggle of anticipation for the results the next time they will meet again.

"So what happen after you use the new clothes Luffy-chan?" Makino inquires after a week had passed.

Luffy gives Makino a puzzled look. "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Makino presses.

"Dadan was weird when she saw me in that white mini dress. She nearly strangled me from her hug," Luffy answers with confusion.

From the answer, Makino dances a jig inside her mind. _Even Dadan-san couldn't resist Uphy-chan's cuteness._

"The bandits whistled at me," Luffy continues with a shrug.

At this, Makino freezes as a look that can wither a diamond is in her eyes._ Those men…_

"Ace and Sabo…" Luffy hesitates.

"What is it?" Makino prompts as her face darkens.

"They had a weird look in their eyes." Luffy begins.

"Weird looks?" Makino echoes.

"Yeah, like there is a big plate of delicious meat in front of them but they can't eat it." Luffy deduces as her head tilts to the right.

_Uphy-chan…_Makino has a look of complete resignation on her face. Luffy is very oblivious to the effect she has on others but that is one of her charms. On the other hand, a protective feeling arises from within her. She must teach Luffy how to protect herself from perverts. It will be a tough job since the said person is so dense but Makino will persevere for her campaign against the perverts.

First, she must report everything to Garp. Knowing him, he will not stand for any lowlife that will taint his precious and beautiful grandchild's virtue. A blazing fire of determination is in Makino's eyes for the incoming battle.

Beside her, Luffy watches an amazing show of fireworks display around Makino with utter bafflement. "Makino?"

"Don't worry, Luffy-chan. I am here to protect you from perverts." Makino swears to the heavens with all of her strength.

"Makino?.."

And so the battle begins as both Makino and Garp protects Luffy's virtue with every single part of their being from the perverts who will stand in their way. As for Dadan, she did not lend her helping hands since anything that will annoy Garp is an added source of amusement in her part.

**16. **—**Sabo's POV—**

Rain is falling heavily on one gloomy morning. It's been three days since then, but water still falls from the skies as it lands everywhere making everything cold and damp. The sounds only heard are the pelting rain.

Except for Ace, who went to the kingdom to some entertainment the others aren't spared from the silence. There is a cloud of gloom hovering over Dadan's house. The bandits are all inside upset that there is no action for them as the weather itself permits them not. No one but _her _has dared to venture outside to get wet.

Under the rain, a young 13-year old girl is dancing with light graceful steps around with a gentle smile on her face. She had short but soft and fluffy raven hair, exotic pair of onyx eyes framed by thick and dark eyelashes. Her slender and lithe build with sun-kissed skin—a head-turner beauty that will melt the hearts of anyone who will gaze upon her.

She twirls as if dancing with an invisible partner. Unmindful of the rainy weather as she dances on and on, she didn't mind it as long as she is having fun under the rain. She spreads her hands on the air and takes a deep breath of her surroundings.

A tall man with a handsome face watches over her with a fond smile. He waves at her as their eyes meet. She beckons him over as if inviting for a dance. He walks to her and takes her hands as they both dance under the rain. With a look of mischief, the man tickles her and she responds to him through a chase. The two are soon laughing and chasing each other.

They soon walk together for home with his arms over her shoulders. Her wet clothes have distracted him for a moment as they had stuck on her like glue. With a sigh, he pulls his cloak and places it on her.

She beams with happiness at him and she takes his hands in hers.

"Ne, Sabo do you like the rain?"

Sabo shrugs. "I don't like the cold but it's fine."

"I love the rain for it washes and cleans the world," she muses idly.

Sabo gives her a look. "It isn't like you to be so poetic, Luffy."

Luffy stuck out her tongue in retort. Sabo only smiles and pulls her closer. "You miss Ace?"

"He's gone for a week," onyx eyes studies him.

Sabo averts his eyes. "He needs some space, Luffy."

At his answer, a look of contemplation crosses in her eyes.

"Ace is growing old," he adds with a grin that brings out bells of laughter from her.

"You shouldn't say that. If he hears it, he'll be mad." Reaching Dadan's house, she pulls away from him. "I'll be having a bath first, Sabo."

Sabo nods absently, his mind wondering to another memory. Luffy might not know it but she save him from a fate worse than death that day. He is eternally grateful at her actions.

When he asks her why, she simply answers. _"You're my brother. How can I move forward if I let my brother save my life in exchange of a cage. Don't save me again, stupid Sabo."_

Secretly, he's so happy but he had to lunge at her for calling him stupid. _That is Ace! _he yelled at her. To that, even Ace had to join the fray. If they saw his tear stained face, they did not say mention it. His tight hug is enough thanks for them.

He's not aware how the seed of admiration from the first day Ace told him about a certain brat who's stalking them has grown to love that time.

In first sight, Luffy may appear as a polite person hiding a rude and insolent mouth within. She's still dense and slow, but she can be perceptive in a critical situation. She has a golden heart but doom falls upon those her wrath rages on. Luffy, the most stubborn and head inducing headache girl he has known in his life. Is also the most beautiful person he laid his eyes on.

No one is immune to her charms and charisma. Another fact to his amusement is Luffy's obliviousness to her admirer's feelings.

But he and Ace hated them as well. They didn't want any of them around Luffy. They couldn't stand them for their courage and straightforwardness whenever Luffy is in their line of sight. Both he and Ace had fun beating those idiots' asses but they keep on coming. Sabo even contemplated to lock Luffy in a tower, but she will hate them for that.

Even as a child, Luffy has left a mile long trail of broken hearts upon her wake. Sabo often wondered if Luffy knows it and acts to ignore their lovesick expression. On the other hand, that obliviousness is not only limited to strangers even those close to her suffers from it.

It is sad, cruel world.

"Sabo," a stern and cold voice calls him breaking him from his reverie.

Sabo swiftly turns his head and sees the disgruntled face of Ace. The other bandits see this face of Ace immediately move out of the way. No one in the right mind would dare to stand up against the Ace in one his moods. It will be dangerous to their physical and mental health.

A teasing smirk is on his lips. "Did you have fun, Ace?"

Ace's scowl deepens in answer.

"We will leave soon," Sabo says nonchalantly. "But before that, we need to do something to those perverts. It will be better for her not to be bothered by them."

They both share a feral smile.

**17.**

A year passes by, the day of Ace and Sabo's seventeenth year had arrived. There is no celebration since the two are now ready to finally leave the island at the same time and fulfill their dream of becoming a pirate.

Ace and Sabo stand in each individual small sailboat, ready to set sail on the shoreline of the island. All the bandits come to see the two off, except Dadan. Makino and Woop Slap are also there to see them go.

"Good luck, Ace and Sabo!" Luffy calls bubbling in excitement to her brothers.

"Take care of yourself, Luffy!" Sabo yells back. "And be careful of perverts!"

"We'll see you soon, Luffy!" Ace yells back. "Knee them on their groin if you have to!" Ace adds with a smirk.

"Let's celebrate when we meet again," Luffy says with a bright smile.

Both brothers grin at her. Soon, they both sail on opposite direction.

"Do your best, my brothers!" Luffy hollers as everyone shouts their goodbyes and good lucks to the two.

"You'll hear about as soon! Just wait! I'll make a name for myself real soon!" Ace yells back as Sabo simply wave his hands in response.

Luffy did not leave from the shoreline until she can no longer see both her brothers' boats. Her eyes in mist as she whispers to herself, _I'll see you both soon._

She frowns looking down at the message in her pocket. The Five Elders is asking for her.

**18.**

The marines stare dumbfounded and incredulous with their jaws on the floor.

Monkey D. Garp boisterously laughs his whole being fills up with pride. Who would not? Seeing his beloved grandchild ate the whole buffet with much speed but never forgetting her manners.

How did she do that?

As if sensing the silence of disbelief, Luffy pauses from her nth serving tilts her head in confusion and asks. "What?"

All of them resume to their own meal, faces coloring like tomatoes. Only one thing is on their mind, _Garp-sama no grandchild is so cute._

Garp's shoulders shakes with silent laughter as he peruses his men's reactions, feeling a no small amount of pride on his chest for having a cute and adorable granddaughter.

Luffy oblivious to her charms, turns her full attention to her food forgetting her question as the dessert is laid on the table.

"More please."

Ah, too much cuteness.

Garp's blood within him runs wild for the excitement that is bound to happen in the near future. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on whose point of view, Monkey D. Garp unknowingly sets free from its golden cage the person that will shake the whole world to its core.

**19. **—**Luffy's POV—**

"Ji-chan…" a young girl of fourteen years of age mutters through gritted teeth.

Really, did that sadistic grandfather of her had to throw her overboard—naked? All for the sake of what is written down on survival menu number 78. Where is his brain gone to?

"I'm going to hunt him down, leave him with nothing. Let's see how he likes it," she irately adds.

Her past self Luffy, was one reckless idiot but even he wouldn't do this to anyone. She pauses, _no I probably would._

_Is this what her brothers and nakama went through each and every crazy antics she had done as Luffy?_ this thought comes out of nowhere. Thinking about it now, she really is in sympathy with what her brothers and nakama feels because of her past antics.

With a solemn look, she vows. "I'll be good captain to them now."

_If you survive that is, _a voice inside her head quips.

**20.**

"Miss Euphemia," a voice calls out.

That name is given to her by the Five Elders and they are the reason why at the age of fourteen, she becomes the youngest admiral apprentice.

She only agreed because of personal reasons. She won't be caught unaware, again by the people hiding behind the façade of the World Government.

"This is the batch of wanted criminals in the Four Blues," the stack of papers is neatly placed above her table. Luffy ignores her grandfather who's sulking in her office's corner a cloud of gloom hovering above him. She refuses to talk to him from what he did do her.

From the corner of her eyes she notices the soldier still lingering inside her office. "Yes?" she asks tilting her head sideways.

The man sputters red face.

"Is he sick?" she wonders out loud.

There is a distinct snort coming from Garp which Luffy ignores with ease. She stands up with the stacks of papers on her arm.

She raises her right hand. "I'm leaving."

Someone whimpers as if on pain.

Outside her office several marines are standing their chest puffs out. She passes them by as she makes her way down to her speedboat.

**21.**

**A Journal**

**Date XXX**

**Mariejois**

_No one wants to hear their cries. The pleas and calls are ignored. The screams continue on and on._

_They are beyond the stage of being deaf. No one wants to see pass the mask. The hidden scars reveal more than any words could describe. Facing the truth takes a no small amount of courage. They turn blind eye to the things they don't want to see._

_No one wants to feel pain. Yet, it is inevitable. To kill and protect. Both in many ways always link together like twins._

_Their blood cries from the ground. Their thirst will never be quenched._

_Is anyone fearless of the dark? It's a nightmare that leads on to fear the unknown._

_There is an unspoken secret of the sea. A phantom walks upon the land. Like a thief in the night, it attacks its prey. No blood is found, only screams of terror and fright. Sending nightmares even in broad daylight._

_Even a single speck of light won't help. For it only casts more shadows on the wall._

_What is it? The being's utmost mission? To bring justice? To bring fear?_

_Even an unknown has an unfulfilled mission to stay on._

**22.**

The list of wanted posters is rapidly declining in a no small amount of time and number.

Onyx eyes surveys her prey with satisfaction. She wonders of she should leave them alive under the mercy of Impel Down. Others had begged her to kill them. But she didn't. She made an appearance of killing a number of them to satisfy the higher ups.

_They don't trust her._

She can't blame them. It's bewildering for them to find her victims without a single spot of blood. It's not her forte torturing her victims through any means like—burning the victims alive, suffocation, electrocution, drowning, ripping them apart…

True, she revels in fighting, but not in killing. Those few times she did are already enough for her. However, she marvels how it's easy for her to kill her victim, but she restrains herself.

That restrained power she has is what terrifies the higher ups. All are walking in eggshells when she's near, wary how far she can keep bay the bloodlust. The Marines label her as Artemis the Huntress. She didn't mind the name, and it wasn't long before Euphemia gains a name for herself within the pirate era.

Of course, no one aside from the admirals, vice-admirals, and those working under her grandfather, Garp the Hero know who she is. They all think that her prey is better dead than alive since Impel Down is much worse.

As for her will-be-prey, all they could do is to cower and hope they aren't the next victim. The media is singing praises to the phantom for its heroic deeds. The innocents can sleep peacefully since the phantom only hunts down the criminals. They call the phantom—Persona since they don't have any idea how the phantom looks like. Persona's fame and publicity spreads through the Grandline, and depending on whose point of view, Persona's presence is either a blessing or a curse.

**23.**

_Shichibukai Meeting…_

"Ku, ku, ku," a stunningly dress man laughs to his heart content as he and the others stares at the massive amount of wanted posters accomplished by Garp's apprentice. "You have an excellent weapon there, Sengoku-san."

Sengoku glares at the man.

Only three out of the Shichibukai had presented their selves in the meeting, yet Sengoku has a headache already every time he is with them.

Garp's apprentice brings quite a stir in both the pirates' and marines' side. The apprentice accomplishment is massive since Impel Down is entertaining a lot of them.

"What an event! Ku,ku, ku…" the man bursts in laughter again.

"And this amuse you much, scum?" Sakazuki most known by his alias remarks with a sneer.

Kuzan a.k.a Aokiji is on the couch sleeping not really worried about anything.

"Garp's apprentice sure works like a bounty hunter. You, rusty marines are outdone by a child!" Doflamingo points out with a smug smirk.

"You, scum!" Akaninu stands up anger evident in his features.

"Enough! This meeting is over." Sengoku roars as he hastily left the room the other marines following his lead.

Behind the adjacent wall beside the room, a cloaked figure mutters. "This is just the beginning…"

**24. —****Kuro's POV****—**  


"I need you."

Those three simple words ultimately change his life.

In case others think a specific cruel and ruthless one has taken a complete turnabout in his character they might as we as well be out of their minds.

Don't even dare to tell right to his face that he's changed. The consequences are dire to your physical and mental health.

However, a certain person comes and became a major distraction to his life. He will never admit the fact that he did not notice the presence until that person steps out from its hiding place.

It happens like this…

Klahadore is doing his usual midnight stroll in the richest estate in Syrup Villagewhen that person reveals his presence.

"You. What are you doing on the estate? I'll have you thrown off." Klahadore says without turning around. A raven haired bishounen is sitting on the top of the veranda staring at him.

"Kuro of a Hundred Plans," the bishounen starts as he stiffens.

He arches an eyebrow. "And you are?"

"You are aware of a certain hunter, I believe."

Kuro changes his stance as if in defense.

An amused grin appears on the bishounen's lips, if he's an ordinary man he will run away to flee from that grin.

The voice idly muses, "I am in conflict to ask you to join my crew. Your intelligence is of highest caliber; an excellent weapon you wielded effortlessly—truly a master strategist. You are also ruthless and bloodthirsty one of the things I hate. You are willing to sacrifice anyone as long as your plan will succeed. Having you part of my crew will be like having a knife at my back."

"You know my secret." Klahadore pushes up his glasses. "What do you plan to do with it?"

"This peaceful job is so unlike you. I wonder if you are planning some heinous things for Kaya-san?"

His eyes narrow while contemplating the stranger's words.

"You miss it, don't you?

Klahadore stares at the strangers beautiful features, his mind trying to catch up from the change of topic. His silence prompts the stranger to clarify the question.

"No matter how you deluded yourself to be content of this peaceful living you have now, you're a pirate."

He flinches as if struck by an unknown force.

"Deep inside you there is a thirst for an adventure. The desire to be free to roam the untamable sea. "

His pulse races as if to answer the call.

"Not to mention it will be fun to let the marines chase you to the endless game of cat and mouse."

He smirks as a sudden rush of adrenaline threatens to sweep off his feet, but he will not give in yet.

"When we see each other again you will become my nakama," the stranger says with certainty.

He folded his hands. "I am of disadvantage since you know too much about me."

"I need you." Are the parting words of the stranger, leaving him with tumultuous thoughts inside him.

That's where the battle begins. His mind is on conflict. His heart wages a losing war. A one-sided battle that the stranger wins, but he keeps on denying it.

Unknowing the fact that he's caught utterly, and completely.

Klahadore is irritated beyond words and he loathes the strangers for it.

**25.**

A person examines the body with critical eyes. It's indescribably beautiful, the skin as smooth and silky like that of a newborn child. The lifeless amethyst eyes gaze through him, silver blond hair fall against the forehead with a widow's peak. Red lips presses in a frozen kiss. The off white tunic covers the slender and lithe body. The person hovers above the body as if on anticipation of its awakening from death's grasp.

Shoulders slump in disappointment—another utter failure.

Around, numerous bodies fell in line inside each human-sized cell. Each body reflects an intense luminosity of nimbus colors rising from their transparent skin releasing a golden glow among each of them—each one of them as majestic and lovely as the last.

A transcendent beauty like nothing ever seen or imagined before.

Different colors of eyes looks fixatedly among its audience. Each gaze holds a potent seductive effect, drawing its audience with a magnetic force to strong that can't be denied. It's an otherworldly spectacle before its audience.

However, they are all failures. A grimace appears on the scientist's lips.

Until, she comes.

**26. —****Luffy's POV—****  
**

Luffy feels more than sees it.

They want her to become a weapon never seen or heard before.

_How many lessons she had undergone?_

For proper sense of decorum and manner, arts of war, politics, and all forms of entertainment-singing, dancing, and etc.

_How much time had passed since then?_

She loses her sense of time. Every second stretches out for hours of infinity.

All she feels is pain. Lots of it.

Pin pricks of injections mar her young body. They soon will fade living nothing of their existence.

There is so much light. Her body feels numb to whatever they had done to her. Her clothes hugged her form showing off the figure of a seventeen year old. Her off-white in the tunic brought out her onyx eyes making them stand out.

Onyx meet azure.

He has no last name, but an androgynous beauty that attracts both men and women, contrasting his dead and soulless eyes. There are others, but none can't compare with the living breathing one from the lifeless.

A beauty to seduce and ensnare—that even the most discipline's walls will shatter. This beauty comes with a price.

In her dazed mind, she can hear someone speaking in distant voices.

"Cellular Regeneration, diluted fishman's blood, supernatural strength and agility, enhanced senses, and there are still many others that needs to be done," a voice reports like an echo.

Luffy blinks as the voice fades away in the wind.

**27.**

The pain soars to indescribable heights. It is a sensation she once felt before.

Every part of her seems to move in acceleration. There is a sense deprivation that she can't understand.

She wants to claw her body open and rip apart herself to find what is inside to get rid of the torture. But she can't. Her arms aren't there. She can't even open her mouth to scream.

_Why can't she scream? Why can't she move?_

It is another thing to be paralyzed while she hurts.

The warmth inside her gets more and more real, warmer and warmer. It is hot and hotter. It's unbearable.

Then unexpectedly, it's dosed by cold, freezing water—the feeling of millions of needles prickling her skin. The intensity is both raging and unforgiving.

Another goes on, she feels trap by something. She can't breathe. Like a roaring force grappling her with ferocious strength pounding her all over—a sense of being strangle and pinned down by some invisible force.

Slowly, she gets stronger and stronger. She feels the weight of her body is coming back to her. She can flutter her eyes open, twitch her fingers, and wiggle her toes. But she waited for it seems that any movement will be the end of her control.

Then, it she hears someone who breathes her last breath with a fleeting smile. "Be free my precious child…"

And Monkey D. Luffy remembers her purpose in this world.

**28.**

The air is distinctly chill.

"It won't work!"

"Have mercy!"

"NOOOOO!"

They stare utterly and completely transfix at the spectacle before them. All are speechless and overwhelm by the being's perfection. Around them is stillness. Horrid and misshapen dried corpse ripped and tattered.

It's brutal. The carnage reveals the being's unnatural strength and ferocity.

She had started with the smaller branch of the Le Cielo family, slaughtering them without mercy. All of this was all done within seconds. It was easy, so very simple, to destroy humans' fragile lives like swatting an obtrusive fly. All it takes are the tricks she's taught. She did not leave anyone alive. All evidences are destroyed by the blazing inferno.

_No one else must suffer what I and the others had gone through._

She revels in it, the way their bodies splatter across the ground. It's a quick death.

_This is the monster you all have created._

Bile rises from her throat, tears run down her face as blood-stained hands cover her face.

"MONSTER!"

**29. ****Archives **

The one who wiped out the entire Celestial Dragon Le Cielo family is unidentified. There are no investigations, but that did not stop the rumors and speculations of the said person who defied the law of heavens itself. Everyone is turn between cursing and in awe of who had done it. Whoever it was left the crime site with no traces of its presences. There are no evidences left to find. Only the missing presence of the Le Cielo family was the sign of their disappearances. However, there are evidences that reveal the hidden plots of the Le Cielo family to overthrow the Five Elders and annihilate the other Celestial Dragons' clans—a clear show of rebellion. The Council refuses to comment.

To be continued…

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**REVIEWS AND FAVES are both wanted *LOL***

This two will bear fruition to another chapter along with the muse.

_And so before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


	4. Calling the Chosen Few

**Disclaimer:**

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda. No money is being made off this piece of fiction.

* * *

**Thank you for the faves!**

To: Alcatraces, Aria868, Gaist72, Gratia Puella, Jasmine Marie Vladimir, Kemeyeoz, Krystal 'Demon' Sanate, Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin, RahzelKane, RainDancin, RukaRukia, Smally, Sparrow1011, Style1234, Terrie1234, adellealyla, 626, goddessmorrigan, iiILurvePancakesii, leroalice, onegirl92, and theyuyu96.

**Thank you for the follows!**

To: Ameliara, Ariwynthas, Jasmine Marie Vladimir, Krystal 'Demon' Sanate, LuckyFire, Narutopokefan, Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin, RainDancin, SeiryuNoAme, Smally, Sparrow1011, Terrie1234, Winters Lantern, catyscitty, iiILurvePancakesii,, leroalice, andslayer of the wind.

**Thank you for the reviews!  
**

To: _Smally, lambdadotlawliet and Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin _

* * *

**Warnings:**

Time/dimensional-travel, AU, violence, language, BAMF & femLuffy, OOC!ALERT, self-betaed

* * *

**Calling the Chosen Few**

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**Journal Log**

**Year XXXX**

**Raftel**

_I found it—one piece. But not without consequences. _

_I lost my nakama, and all that remains were their ashes. And together, we made a journey way back to my crew's homelands. However, they could not be buried in there. There's no peace even after death for wanted criminals, like us._

_Desecrators, a lot of them. It was unsafe and unwelcome._

_Off we went back to the Skypeia, the only place safe and unreachable enough for their resting place._

_Back in the Blue Sea, I lost my last comrade. All seemed lost and hopeless. I was left alone, again._

* * *

**Journal Log**

**Year XXXX**

**Another world**

_So this is one piece—a boon, a curse. Living forever to other worlds and parallel selves. _

_The familiar and places unsettled me. It was haunting torment. But I have to move forward. And the cycle went on…_

_The infinity of time had blessed me time to reflect, a solace from my grief. I learned to forgive myself for my failures and regrets. From one world to another, and from various versions of myself, I made it my personal mission to live not for myself but for them. Even if I have to change and destroy anything and anyone to give the alternate versions of my nakama what they rightfully deserved._

_Eternity could be lonesome without a purpose._

_Now, that you a shard of mine, my shadow self, receive all my memories, everything now lies in your hands. These memories would do nothing more but to guide you._

_PS:_

_Don't bother running away from what Fate has in store for you. It would be pointless, a complete waste of time and effort. She will always drag you back. Face everything head on, tear down whatever stands in your way, live the way you love and enjoy this life with a smile. _

* * *

**30. Luffy's POV **

She blinks her eyes for a moment and wonders where she is. She absentmindedly ruffles her hair when she pauses.

A grim expression appears on her face as paces around to the deck of her grandfather's ship, an almost like predator movements on her steps, movements graceful and regal as she walks by a numbers of marines, oblivious to their looks of admiration and respect.

She isn't a clumsy and impatient child anymore_ they_ made sure of that.

After her brothers left for their own she was summoned by the Five Elders. She trained under her grandfather's unrelenting and strict guidance. Garp had gone to great lengths to stump out the "pirate" inside her ever since Ace's wanted poster reached his knowledge.

After the nth times of failed attempts to convince her to join the Marines officially, Garp is finally on the end of his tether. And so, he allowed her to be hunter who hunts those in wanted posters.

And that's how she had an unfortunate meeting with _those_ people. The same people who met their end in her own hands. Of course, the World Government had no knowledge of her presence and participation to the Le Cielo's demise.

She can do a fine job of doing any covert subterfuge when _had _to. And it's not like her grandfather keeps tabs of her hunting activities.

The man_ really_ has no idea what she can do.

Then with a jolt, her musings stop. She leans on the railings wall silently contemplating what she has to do.

A sudden shift in the wind takes her attention, as if it whispers its knowledge of secrets from this world.

Eyes glints mysteriously and she smiles, _it is time._

**31. Alvida's POV**

'Iron Mace' Alvida is greeted by the sight of the moaning pile of broken and twisted limbs of her man.

Her fist closes tightly around the head of her mace. "Who dares to do this insolence to the most beautiful woman in the world?" Alvida roars out angrily.

"You are not the most beautiful woman," a voice drawls.

Alvida face turns. _A bishounen?_ she thought as she peruses the figure wearing red rubber sandals, leather cargo shorts up to the knees, a red vest unbutton on top of the midriff white crisp shirt revealing the toned abs makes her drool for a moment. Whose owner—a boy looks inhumanly beautiful.

Alvida blushes. "I forgive your insolence since you will be my husband!"

The _boy_ grins at her and she almost fainted from it.

"Sorry, no can do. I hate woman who is not honest to herself and cruel to everyone who says that you're not beautiful," he states with a bored look.

The sheer cruelty from the bishounen's rejection has made Alvida to collapse with a loud thump on the ship's deck.

.

.

.

**Coby's POV**

"That was fast!" the cabin boy, Coby speaks out loud with disbelief, on how easy the ugly woman who made his life hell is defeated.

"There is no need for violence."

Coby sweat-drops from his hero's answer as his hands points at Alvida's beaten men.

The bishounen just shrugs. "Oh, they would not let me go."

_Minutes later on their jouney…_

"Ano…Luffy-san thank you for saving me," he says with a bow to the pretty boy.

"It's nothing. I don't like her. She can be the pretty nasty."

At this, Coby snickers and then he frowns. "Aren't you also a pirate Luffy-san?"

Luffy grins. "Yes, but I am different."

Coby breathes in with immense relief.

Luffy cocks his head. "Now, I have to find a certain hunter Roronoa Zoro."

His eyes widen. "But Luffy-san! He's a monster!" he protests in terror.

"A monster, huh?" Luffy repeats, sitting cross-legged on the boat's bowsprit.

"Yeah! Roronoa Zoro is known as the 'pirate hunter' the demon of East Blue. A scary man who hunted down pirates like a bloodthirsty hound from hell!"

Luffy twitches from his description.

"…he's a living monster in the form of a man! Why don't you drop the idea of recruiting him," he continues urgently.

Luffy smiles at him that made him blushed before shoving at his face a picture of a scary man.

He squeals in horror.

"Ne, Coby what is your dream?" Luffy asks out of the blue distracting him from his fear.

With confidence he can muster, Coby answers. "I want to be a marine," then he deflates. "But…"

Luffy stares at him with a measuring look which made him uncomfortable.

"You have to get rid of that fear. Or else you won't reach your dream. There are others who will use fear to drag others down making them one of the most corrupt power-abusers men in both the marines and pirates world," Luffy informs bluntly.

Looking straight at his' widening eyes, Luffy adds, "Even if their justice is the right thing to do, but if in your own eyes it is wrong, follow your own personal sense of justice. Rise above from all that dirt if you're going to be an excellent marine. Do that and you will be a better marine unlike them."

A stirring flame rises deep within Coby and he asks, "If I become an excellent marine, I will have to catch you Luffy-san."

A bright smile spreads in Luffy's face causing his face to turn tomato red again. "I look forward to it, Coby."

His chest swells in confidence.

_I won't fail you, Luffy-san_, he vowed silently

Luffy stretches and with a smile says to him. "Now, I have to find Zoro and make him join my crew!"

Coby just watches in admiration at his hero's absolute confidence wishing with all his heart that he will become fearless like that someday. That time, he has no idea how miles wide their differences are from one another.

**32. Zoro's POV**

He could not honestly believe how his day went.

Luffy, a bishounen simply asked him what his dream was, and after answering the question, declared him as part of the Straw hat crew. The _boy _refused to hear any of his protests.

From then on, it just snowballed on. The marine who promised to free him after a month of detainment had plans to execute him.

_And they call theirselves men of justice?_

Then, the bishounen did a wild chase of mayhem but in the end he won and somehow the marines respected the boy from defeating their horrible commander. Actually, Zoro did not pity the marines the bishounen had beaten up because all he can was to nod weakly to the boy's invitation and at the same time picking up his falling jaw from the ground.

And now, he _is _officially the bounty hunter turned pirate, and the first mate of the Straw hats pirates.

Any resistance was futile, sparking a whole new ball of yarn, so to speak. His captain is not a bishounen but a _bishoujou,_ not a he but a _she_.

_But are there really any differences?_

Zoro would forever deny the girlish shriek coming from his mouth from this revelation. He's stunned to the core that his brain stops to work.

He fainted_._

_No collapsed, _his male ego argued.

It was an added bonus that even Coby was also surprise to the core, and Zoro will forever relish to memory the upcoming reactions when Luffy's true gender is revealed.

He cackles evilly from the thought. _What an explosive show of fireworks it will be._

It was odd to note how the marines saluted them as they left the town. This proves his theory that his female captain truly has an indescribable charisma and beauty—one deadly combination added to her strength.

In conclusion, Roronoa Zoro did not mind the fact that his captain is truly a girl. Girls and women are lethal. Kuina was the perfect the perfect example of that fact. Bless her soul.

Another trait of Luffy that he must get used to, is her bottomless pit of stomach and its ending. Zorro never paid so much on his life. While the said person did not even fluctuate from all the food she had eaten. Something also tells him this would not be a rare occurrence.

And how right and precise his hunch was!

Luffy's good sense of character with people is also a mystery. Luffy embraces them all be it human, animal, or inhuman.

And Zoro will see to it that his one of a kind, lady captain will accomplish her dreams.

**33. Kuro's POV**

Dark eyes peer at him calmly. "Are you really sure? You can't take back your words, Kuro."

"I'm sure." He answers in his best business tone.

A long silence ensues.

Luffy's eyes drills at him in measuring manner. It was not a kind of look that is pushing someone back down. The eyes are searching for something. Whatever it was, it's been found.

A small smirk appears. "Welcome aboard, one my strategists."

Secretly, he releases a sigh of relief.

Kuro lives up to fight and fend for himself. One has to, especially in an unforgiving sea like Grand Line. He's also one manipulative and backstabbing bastard with no qualms to honor to keep his promises. His life is like that, doing what he pleases whenever he pleases.

Be that as it may, Luffy has an edge, way more dangerous than him—Kuro can feel it within him. And this person is the only one Kuro will willingly subject himself to.

In addition, Kuro will never admit this fact in pain of death—he would forever be behind her to watch her back. This mystifying conundrum named Luffy—who taught him restraint, and yet gifting him a license to do what he wants.

Then, there is that simple fact of how random they the Straw Hat crew members are.

Kuro quietly observes the absolute faith and reverence each member has to his strange captain. Beauty, strength, charisma, fearless and unyielding character are all understatement of his captain. A fact that is immensely terrifying and astonishing.

_And not one are exempted even her enemies._ Kuro muses with barely hidden fondness to his captain. And he would slice to pieces those that will stand in her way.

Kuro of the Hundred Plans is not known for his mercy after all.

**34.**

The whole Straw Hat Pirate's crew stares in wide-eyed amazement as they look at Luffy's megawatt smile. Luffy's eyes smoldering with blazing, passionate dark flames is a stunning sight.

With looks of agreement on each others' eyes, they all agree never to let that kind of smile to grace those unworthy ones. After all, even when that smile reaches at them it nearly devastated their equilibrium.

"An effect of a bishounen as a captain," Usopp concludes in a stage whisper.

Kuro nods, while Zoro chokes his laughter a secret grin on his lips as they all climb up to the ship.

"Wow! What an awesome ship!" Luffy proclaims in joyful glee.

"There is a briefing room in the hull for any major crew meetings and a captain's quarters, one bunking hull for females and one for males. I recently added a steering wheel since it's more convenient to steer the ship it," Merry states with satisfaction.

Luffy gives Merry and Kaya a grateful smile. "I love the ship! Thank you!"

Both nod at the same time, shaking themselves from the after effects of Luffy's smile at them.

Kuro then turns to Merry and Kaya. "I am grateful to all of the things you have done to me. Merry, take care of miss Kaya," he issues his last order to Merry. Then, he gives small smile to Kaya. "Miss Kaya, be strong to follow your dream. I hope in the future when we meet again, you have become a full pledge doctor."

Kaya restrains herself from crying and Merry stands up ramrod straight in pride to fulfill Klahadore's last order.

"Goodbye! Good bye, everybody! Goodbye, Usopp! Take care!" Kaya calls out to them, waving her hands to them as she walks up the hill. "Take care Usopp, everybody!"

.

.

.

Once they are out of sight, Kuro pushes up his glasses.

Zoro, Usopp, and Kuro turn to their captain. "Where to, captain?"

"Let's go to a floating restaurant called Baratie."

All hands raises into the air. "Aye aye, senchou!

**35. Usopp's POV**

At least the Straw Hats Pirates are not ingrates like other terrible pirates with no manners, since they all gave their thanks to Kaya's gift.

Now he must face him. He, Usopp, the brave warrior of the sea, who had thousands of brave warriors on his beck and call, felt scared. No, he's terrified shitless.

Kuro of the Hundred Plans previously known as Klahadore is one of them, a Straw Hat pirate.

He closes his eyes and wishes this is all a bad dream. _No, a nightmare._

Then, he remembers Luffy's words.

_"I care not of your past. Whoever you are born from, what you are, and what you once were. When I ask you to be a member of my crew, you will leave everything from your past life. You will start a new life. Most important of all, your dreams will become part of mine. That's what being a member of my crew means."_

Usopp takes a secret glimpse of Luffy and his band of merry misfits after he recovered from his heart attack discovering how much their captain could eat.

He has an inkling that his captain, Luffy, will even ask a skeleton as his nakama. That is_ so_ Luffy.

(Somewhere in Florian Triangle, a certain being gives a well sounded sneeze).

But Usopp will never do it. He'd never be able to live it down. No, it will be frighteningly scary.

(The certain being gives another sneeze and he laughs out loud thinking his precious nakama whom he had left is thinking of him).

Usopp's imagination is driving wild, his instincts telling him that Luffy is one of the most dangerous but utterly insane few who could probably take over the world twice may it be land, sea, sky, or the entire universe itself if he sets his mind to it.

Though, his captain is already up for that challenge itself and Luffy does not even have to drag anyone along for the ride because they'd all jump in aboard for the thrill and adventure with enthusiasm mixed with absolute faith right beside their crazy, oddball captain.

It is dangerous. Whatever talent it is, to change the will be enemies to allies and nakama. It will be one crazy ride.

But Usopp _is_ with them right now.

Usopp sighs with defeat. He already casted his lot and it all fell to Luffy, his captain.

**36. Sanji's POV**

Imagine a screeching seagull and multiply that noise by a hundred. That's the sound effects of a certain amorous cook in Baratie. To go from nothing to full-blown liking someone was just too freaky and creepy especially if that someone was a _bishounen_.

He wanted to torch himself from these evil thoughts. _Think about soft, velvety skin, heavenly sweet scent, delectable curves, and etc._

A certain face appeared and all his fantasies skidded to a halt.

_No._

**Oh, no.**

Now how and why did this happen? Let's do a time warp, shall we?

_'He'_ appeared with a bang so deafening that a certain man's room was now a pile of rubbles.

They all stared at the figure and instantly regretted it._ He_ had an inhuman beauty not fitted for a man graced their presence.

Instant sunburn for Sanji.

However, Zeff was not the type of man that was deterred by beauty no matter how beautiful one was. Now, they had an errand boy who everyone wanted an assistance of.

Including himself, although, Sanji wanted to do more than ask for the boy's assistance.

_This was not happening, _he thought kicking himself to oblivion inwardly.

However, Sanji gave the bishounen his due credits as everyone admired how graceful and light to his feet the guy was. Then, there was this calm sense of security he felt whenever he's partnered with the bishounen.

It could not be fathom.

There was a downside though, the bishounen had a bottomless stomach and shit hit the fan as everyone scampered in panic as their supplies was depleted by half now.

_How come the brat ate a no small amount of food without getting fat was a mystery they were very unlikely to find out._

Then, Krieg another pirate showed up and wrecked the Baratie to smithereens. And one random Don Krieg pirate screamed as he noticed a coffin-shaped boat leisurely gliding through the waters.

Hawk-Eyes Mihawk joined in the fray. If looks could be bullets, they all would have holes on their bodies.

Krieg's men did not stood a chance, but Mihawk wasn't giving them his attention. His piercing golden eyes zeroed into one particular person.

Their errand boy, Luffy.

Mihawk swept like a condor to his prey as his arms encircled the brat who everyone could see was trying hard to get away from the man's steeled arms.

All were speechless to what happen next.

Mihawk was kissing the brat so hard it's almost punishing like a man in need to quench his thirst, and the brat responded with equal fervor so intense their make out was, that everyone's knees turned to jelly as Mihawk plundered for more.

Those near enough could also see the fight for dominance as tongues lashed against one another. Mihawk's hands buried in the deeply to the brat's short hair harshly. The man paused only to catch his breath, then kissing the brat again and again.

By the time the two were done, all of the viewers were ripe red as tomatoes with difficulty standing up.

Sanji who was also staring on, had his red face ready to burst like a bomb, teeth clench as waves of unexplainable anger swept through him like tsunami. He did not understand the whys but he loathed this feeling.

All were waiting in tense silence as Mihawk finally let go of the bishounen to turn his attention to the swordsman, Zoro.

"Let's see if you deserve to be her firstmate, Roronoa Zoro," Mihawk gleefully announced.

The moss haired equally responded. "I will beat your ass, Hawk-Eyes Mihawk."

As the two swordsman fought on, Sanji had a strange inclination to beat the two up till kingdom come. He could also see the wide differences between the two.

Besides him stood Kuro who for once wanted to challenge the Shichibukai. Luffy just sighed with a knowing look on his face.

The golden eyed man must be feeling generous since he ended the fight soon—the marimo was still breathing and bleeding badly everywhere, but the man still found it within himself to make a ridiculous declaration about his dreams to be the strongest swordsman in the world beating the Shichibukai down in his position.

And another surprise occurred.

The errand bishounen, Luffy was in position to fight and most of them were in flabbergasted amazement. Including, the three male companions of Luffy.

The Baratie owner and workers did not even bother to lift a finger.

The bishounen moved with light feet, each step in lethal grace. They could see how his strikes were in control not deadly enough to kill but enough to knock the receiver out in a second, and that, really was saying something.

The bishounen was truly stronger than Sanji himself. And something in his gut told him that Luffy could even much the golden eyed man.

This bishounen was someone worthy for him to sail under.

Gin, Krieg's firstmate still alive, took Krieg away with words that he will see them again later in better circumstances.

A nearly painful reminder that the Baratie's four guest would have to leave. The Grand Line beckoned.

With the added drama of rejection of his presence in Baratie, Sanji is now fully decided to join the Straw Hats Pirates.

And maybe on the way he will also find All Blue.

**37.**

"We have two swordsman, me a sniper, a ship, and a cook. What else do we need before we sail on to Grandline, Captain?" Usopp inquires excitedly.

A thoughtful look crosses Luffy's face. "I need to fetch my navigator in Cocoyashi Village," is the answer then a frown appears sensing the change on the air.

"Captain?" Kuro asks, curious at the change of his captain's expression.

"There is also a fishman," Luffy mutters softly.

The four males choke on their drinks.

"NANI?!"

**38. Nami's POV**

She had never seen an angel falling from the sky. That was how she described Luffy who turned out to be girl.

Her hometown was once controlled by fishmen when Luffy arrived. Nami did not know what exactly happened. All she knew, was the fishmen who terrorized them all collapsed the moment Luffy walked in to the plaza.

Arlong the leader of the fishmen made a deal with Luffy, a deal Nami had no idea about. Whatever it was, it made the fishmen as the villagers' unspoken protectors. All Arlong asked, was fair salary from the rest of the villagers. An amount they were all able to pay. Luffy then left their island with a promise that she will be back later and with a friendly warning that she will keep an eye to them all.

Later on, when Nami was old enough to travel she finally learned who Luffy is or specifically who Luffy once was. Nami did not know if the others realized this fact: Luffy was a well known hunter called Persona, who hunted the worst criminals in the land and the sea. Well, that was as far as the rumors went.

_Persona was an unsolved mystery. An enigma._

Coming back to her homeland, another fishmen, named Willy, an old rival of Arlong questioned the fishmen's friendship with the humans, and concluded that Arlong was becoming weak. He captured Arlong and his crew and enslaved the rest of the islands inhabitants. It created a rift between the humans and fishmen.

Hate and distrust walked upon the land again.

Until, she came. And now, Luffy is here to reclaim the island from the fishmen.

The Arlong Park is now completely obliterated. It toppled to the ground, bringing massive clouds of dust. The park was once being use as the main base of Willy, the fishman.

"Ne, Arlong…are you mad?" Nami asks.

The wounded fishmen stares at her. "It's for the best. Willy, destroyed what the park stands for—a sign of friendship between us and the humans. I believe it is time for us to depart from this island. The villagers will in no doubt want our heads."

"I'm sorry for not believing in you, Arlong-san," Nami whispers in shame.

Arlong sighs. "I don't blame you, Nami-san. There is bad history between us after all. I nearly killed your mother if not because of Luffy, we won't be standing here together talking like this."

An uncomfortable silence settles between them as both contemplate the what-if scenario if Luffy did not arrive on time.

It felt good to know that there is someone who loves and accepts you as you. Not because of your bloodline, specie, status, and etc.

_"I care not of their past. Whoever they are born from, what they are, and what they once were. They are my friends! My nakama! And you will not hurt them anymore through your manipulation!"_

There is absolutely no denying it in everyone's mind. This single declaration, is an act of defiance even the heavens itself will not stop Luffy from anything she wants to do.

_Come hell and water, indeed,_ Nami quotes in her mind with a grin.

"They did it!" a villager whispers almost disbelievingly.

"They won!" Gen grins.

"We won!" Nojiko points out with a relived smile.

"WE WON!" Johnny and Yosaku shout together in unison.

It finally registers as all of them break into raucous cheers.

"Captain…" Kuro stands up among the rubble. "What happen while I and Zorro were out?"

"Short version: Luffy kicked Willy's ass pretty hard," Sanji answers with a big grin.

Another bout of cheers echoes.

"That's enough, scumbags!" a voice shouts out.

Everyone turns and scowls.

Nezumi, a corrupt marine is standing there, with marines by his side.

Nami sighs. "Oh, no."

"What an idiot," Arlong moans.

"This is my lucky day. What a show! You are very lucky because no one will believe that unknown pirates can defeat those fishmen because of you, everyone single bounty from these fishmen will be mine. Now, I commander Nezumi of unit 16 orders you to drop your weapons!" a hand then grabs the man by the back of his coat.

_"You._ Shut up. Don't disturb us. You're ruining the good mood," Zoro orders with an evil look on his face scaring all the marines. With evil smirk, Nezumi is down and his marines followed after him only after Nami and Arlong's turn to beat him up.

"Justice eh…" Usopp quips.

"This won't be forgotten, you scum! You lot will be so sorry! You, bishounen, you're the captain! I will remember your name."

_Bishounen,_ Nami's eyebrow rises at the statement.

"You, Roronoa Zoro, the once who hunt pirated and criminals will now be hunted."

Zoro smirks without a care.

"And you! Kuro of a Hundred Plans!"

Kuro stiffens at his title.

"We know now that you're still alive! You will be hunted down!"

"As for you Arlong you will pay! Mark my words!" after declaring his threats, Nezumi runs away as if the hounds of hell are after him.

Sangi taps his cigarette ash away. "The bastard forgets us Usopp," he complains.

Usopp gulps and smiles reassuringly. "That's fine, Sanji. We will have our own grand debut soon."

The Straw Hat Pirates all laugh with glee in agreement.

"Hey, everyone! We can't just celebrate this by ourselves! We have to carry the news to the whole island!" doctor Nako proclaims in reminder.

With that the other witnesses run off, eager to tell the good news.

**39. **

"Hello? Helloooo!" Nezumi screams loudly into the den den mushi.

"Yes, marine headquarters here," the voice on the other end answers in bored monotone.

"Hello main base! This is the marine's sixteenth battalion captain Nezumi, marine code #00733! I have a report to make!"

"No need to shout, I can hear you clearly," the other end complains, rubbing out his ear in irritation.

"Listen up!" Nezumi shouts, ignoring the man's advice. "There's a pirate that wears a straw hat, named Luffy! He and his six accomplices all are against the government!"

The marine scribbles down the name without interest.

"They destroyed Arlong Park and defeat the Arlong's old rival, Willy and his mermen! I'm sending his picture right now!"

"Roger."

"In addition, one of his accomplices has been confirmed to be the infamous, 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans'!" Nezumi inform in a yell.

The marine straightens up now, clearly interested.

"And you say that he is one of straw hat Luffy's accomplices? That he serves under him?" the marine clarifies.

"Yes! There are also others with big names."

The marine perks up in full attention.

"Arlong is also with Luffy!"

An incredulous look appears on the marine's face.

"Not to mention the monster bounty hunter, Roronoa Zoro is with Luffy."

The marine almost falls down from his chair at that news.

"They called themselves the Straw Hat Pirates."

The marine furiously scribbles down all the information.

"We need evidences of your claims."

"There is no need to. I have their current pictures here with me."

"Then, the authenticity of your claims will be reviewed by the higher-ups."

The call then ends.

Unfortunately a series of events has made the Straw Hats faces in the pictures to be destroyed. The man named Nezumi will soon be forgotten.

But in later months, he will be remembered as the one who rings the alarm of the rise of Straw Hat Pirates, a crew who will soon shake the whole Grandline to its core.

**40.**

"Luffy?" Usopp starts before the said person fall asleep in one of the sick bed of Cocoyashi medical center.

Inside, Zoro is lunging on a sofa, bandages covering his chest, the same goes with Kuro, while Sanji, who is well enough is preparing for their meal.

The Fishmen who are also staying inside the room are fussing over like a mother hen at Luffy who calms them down. Nami watches on with her sister Nojiko, and her mother Belle-mere with unveiled amusement.

Luffy looks at him. "Yes?"

Not minding of everyone else that are listening, Usopp asks the question that bothers him he moment he had set his foot on this island. "How are you friends with the fishmen?"

The fishmen stiffen as Luffy sighs. "The gist of it is: those guys," Luffy begins. "Attacked this village in the past."

The fishmen all bow their head in shame.

Sanji growls.

"A very stupid thing to do since I was here by that time."

The fishmen shiver, several cringing in fear as everyone watches them with confusion.

"No one mess with my friends."

Everyone shivers from Luffy's feral grin.

"I beat them up and knock some sense into them, and then we are friends."

By those words, the Straw Hats give looks of disbelief to their captain.

Luffy continues, "There are people in some islands who hated the fishmen and mermaids."

Sanji gestures his hands wildly on defense.

"Especially the tenryuubito."

At this, all the fishmen growl in unison.

"The tenryuubito are revered jackasses. They call us scums of the sea, but they are the worst hypocrites in the world. But since they are the world creators with influence in the World Government and the marines, they are powerful and corrupted. If you hurt one of them an Admiral will be out for your blood."

By these words every pirates inside the clinic secretly recoils in fear.

"They are untouchable evil so to speak. And I hate the rest of them."

In accordance to Luffy's declaration, there is complete silence among the room as lights dim, and ominous roll of thunder echoes in the skies then it is gone like it never happened in the first place, sending unpleasant shivers goes down to everyone's spine.

They all waited for Luffy to say more but she's not responding.

All stare deadpanned at the sleeping form of Luffy. With exasperated shake of their heads, but with fond smiles on everyone's lips they keep watch as Luffy sleeps soundly.

Outside, the village is still alive with joy of cheerful celebration.

Inside the room, they all contemplated the changes brought by this enigma, Luffy within their minds.

To Nami, Luffy isn't just a typical pirate who brings tears and destruction to an island she lands on even if she can. Instead, she brings hope in everyone. Never asking for anything in return.

Though, Luffy's character is halfway revealed the moment when the said person fights. A monster, everyone acknowledges with awe and reverence.

Name feels sorry to the fools who will stand in Luffy's way.

During her musings, Nami is reminded of Luffy's invitation for her to join her crew.

_Would it really be so bad? Joining her?_

A hand grasped her shoulders. Nami meets her adopted mother's eyes, which gleams in silent support of her decision.

Nami smiles.

**41. ****Zoro's POV**

Zoro is drifting in and out of sleep when his sensitive ears get wind of a choked off scream. He is out of the hammock in the blink of an eye, right hand on instinct grabs for his katana.

For a moment, doubt crosses his eyes as his ears strain for the sound.

_Nothing._

He frowns contemplating it is only an imagination. Then, another choked scream is heard, this time with an agonizing cry. Shrugging off the fatigue, he slips out from the men's room without much of a sound. The sounds are coming from the captain's quarters. Zoro stops his tracks uncertainty clouded in his eyes.

Only when the sounds are being stifled by something, he finally decides to open the door of his captain's quarters. It's unlocked, catching him off-guard for a second.

With abrupt realization in his eyes, he remembers. Luffy does not want to lock her door. Even with Nami's insistence, that particular habit of Luffy is still present.

Though, in Nami's case she's only concern with Luffy. After all, Luffy is a girl and their crew is composed mostly of men.

When Nami's point is ignored, she offered another suggestion. That is, for Luffy to sleep with her in the women's quarter. However, Luffy is still undeterred. At this a brief flash of pain crossed in Nami's eyes by her captain's rejection, and things get awkward after that.

Only for that pain to be trampled down when Luffy hugged Nami and murmured a simple thank you for Nami's concern. To everyone's surprise Nami blushed in all shades of red.

The matter was soon forgotten.

The others deduced that Luffy wanted some privacy, a far off reason from what Zoro came up with. He discerned something was wrong, and met Luffy's eyes.

In a flash, he received the message.

_Don't._

Suddenly, in one of the rare times in his life, Zoro had an intense desire to disobey his captain's command. Only Luffy's sheer bullheadedness had beaten his curiosity.

And now it leads to this.

Without a slight bit of hesitation, he opens the door as his eyes easily adjusted to the darkness. His eyes catch a shaking figure underneath the tangle of blankets.

Like a pail of glacial ice is dump on him, Zoro stalls by the door frame all at once uncertain to what he is supposed to do in this situation. Give him someone to cut any day than this.

Comforting someone is never his forte. Especially, someone suffering from a nightmare.

"L-Luffy?" Zoro asks drawing near to the trembling form warily, putting down his katana besides the table.

"Are you alri-" He halts again, this time for an entirely different reason.

An unknown force ferociously knocks him down to his feet. It slams to him like a gigantic sledgehammer. Zoro panics reaching out for his sword only to comprehend, he can't move.

At all.

Whatever it is, it's frighteningly heavy. The strangest sensation like his stomach falling from a wild ride, his blood draining away in massive quantities, and his soul ripped apart from his body.

It floods the room in tumultuous waves, rattling the less heavy things to motion. His eyes widen as he tries to call out for help.

_Where is everybody when you need them?_

Without warning, the force releases him leaving a disoriented swordsman on the floor.

_What was that? _His mind yells waking him up from his stupor. At that instant, he remembers the reason why he's here in his captains' room and immediately rushes forward to his captain's side.

"LUFFY!" He frantically reaches out shaking her shoulders to wake his captain. Self-preservation forgotten as his concern to the said person prevails.

He feels the force enveloping him this time with gentleness of a soft whisper.

"Luffy, wake up!" He calls again loudly.

"You need to wake up! Luffy!" Later, he's going to wonder why everyone else did not wake up from the commotion.

For what seems to be eternity, his captain opens her eyes with a gasp. The force from before disappear without a trace as if it had never been there in the first place.

Zoro gapes in shock as his mind grasp where the ferocious force is coming from before shaking himself out of it and patiently waits for Luffy to recover.

Luffy is now in sitting position in his arms, hair disheveled matted with sweat, her pale tear-stained face pronounced wildly by the agonizing fear and no small amount of despair in her dark eyes.

"Luffy?" Zoro asks tentatively. "Are you alright?"

He feels more than sees that Luffy shudders for a moment before she answers. "I will be."

He understands. This is not the first time it happened. Not knowing what to do next, he's silent. A question haunts within him. _What kind of nightmares would cause a reaction this big?_

"Thank you, Zoro," Luffy says with empty eyes making him cringed inside.

_How did he help?_

"I'm here if you want a listening ear-" he trails off inwardly berating his words. _Too soon, Zoro. Too soon,_ his inner voice chews him out.

Then, a startled, force laughter comes out from Luffy's lips. "Thank you so much, Zoro." The tone of her voice is filled with gratitude. The sincerity of her words surprises him. Her next words however, shock him to the core.

"Will you sleep here for now, Zoro?"

An unbidden blush rises from his cheeks at her choice of words, that sounds so wrong.

"Please stay." This time it's almost in a pleading tone.

Zoro's eyes observe Luffy and with a sigh he relents. "All right. I'll stay."

A radiant smile is on Luffy's lips and she's soon out cold.

An awkward chuckle echoes inside the room. Zoro lifts Luffy in a comfortable position, and covers her with the blankets. He sits down and closes his eyes as he remembers something in his life before he became the Straw Hat Pirate's first mate.

He's known as Demon of the East Blue, a santoryu swordsman. His mere presence strikes fear in the heart of both Pirates and Pirate Hunters alike. His high speed and compressed air projectile attacks testify his strength and ruthlessness. He's a legendary reputation hunting the East Blue.

Only for his reputation to be tarnished by a spoiled and wimpy boy, he forgot the bastard's name. In order to save two people from that trigger happy wannabee marine, he agreed to be tied down around the post. But it's all an underhanded maneuver.

Then, _she_ came in to the picture and every logical reason he had, ceased to exist.

Actually, he did not see himself to become a pirate. But he did because of her.

**_Flashback_**

_"I will be the world's greatest swordsman," Zoro proclaimed narrowing his eyes at her. "Whether my name is clean or not, it does not matter. My name will be known world-wide. If you ever do anything that will stand in the way of my dream, your life will be at the end of my sword."_

_With an unreadable look _Luffy _stated, "That's good! After all, the Mugiwara Pirates will conquer the world. It will be best to have the world's number one swordsman a part of it. Since it's you, you will be." A bright smile. "Zoro is Zoro."_

_To his mortification, he felt his face redden at those words._

**_Flashback Ends_**

Looking back from that particular memory, he wonders of he's able to do it. Luffy is the complete opposite of a typical pirate. But, she can be ruthless.

Zoro still shivered from the look of those eyes when she is piss off. A particular fishmen literally wailed in fear from those eyes.

Until now, Zoro and the others can't associate that side of Luffy from the one on the bed right now with a child-like innocence in her sleep. And add, her excellent sense of character that never fails to surprise them all.

_Who would ever think that Kuro a Hundred Plans will be resurrected because of her? A liar has a hidden strength underneath that coward personality? Then, he's a sniper to boot? Then, the annoying love cook the bane of his existence will join because of her? And lastly, a fishmen, who humbled himself, casting aside the discrimination between fishmen and humans to be part of them?_

As for the other woman, Zoro prefers to keep his comments to himself in secret. He can see that they surely are one hell of a crew.

Then there is that thing with the Shichibukai, Taka no Me Mihawk.

_What's next a Marine? _Zoro snorts at the unlikely possibility, not reminding himself of the shame and embarrassment he felt from the failure of his match. He should not have rushed out like a fool to challenge Mihawk.

And the thing was, Luffy had known that time that he would lose badly.

Luffy murmurs in her sleep jolting Zoro out from his thoughts. At the thought of her, Zoro is still puzzle by her person.

Then, he smirks.

Luffy, their captain, is entitled to keep her secrets. They all have the time to decipher the beautiful amalgam named by the marines as Mugiwara no Luffy.

Zoro closes his eyes for the much needed rest, unnecessary thoughts fading away as the Demon of East Blue pledges his allegiance once again to Straw Hat Luffy.

**42.**

The next morning, Luffy blearily opens her eyes as she sits up on the bed with an unsettling feeling on her gut. The dream is so vivid, so real, she can feel it in her skin.

Eyes immediately search for her first mate, and she's relieved. She prefers not to explain to anyone.

She smiles. _Everything is all right._ She assures herself. _They are here with me. _

At the thought of her nakama, the unsettling feeling disappears as a radiant smile of happiness is on her lips.

The first time she laid her eyes on her nakama, Luffy didn't know how to act…what to think…and what to feel…

She wants to hug them all—even her once enemies Kuro and Arlong in a twist of fate became her nakama. But she had taken hold of herself. They did not know...

Luffy is turned between laughing and crying. To shout on glee and panicking.

Everything is so unreal like a dream. Seeing them once again in reality brought tears from within her.

_Not a dream. It is real._

They won't die in front of her eyes like _his_.

Luffy blinks twice shaking her head from the incoming depressing thoughts.

_It won't happen. I won't allow it._

Suddenly, she stands up. She needs to take a bath. If Makino is here, she will be in for a scolding. She saunters off to the bathroom with haste. She smiles at herself in the mirror, splashing the cold water over her face. Feeling the chill, gives her the comfort to know everything is real.

Taking her time, she peels off her red vest and the long sleeved white crisp shirt. She drops them on the floor, revealing her naked body. Not for the first time, she eyes with appreciation to her firm and small breast. She didn't have to wear those tight-difficult-to-breath-thingie. She then removes the leather cargo shorts dropping it on the floor.

Moving her thoughts to the present events especially her decisions of having Arlong and Kuro as her nakama, it is simply a gamble. Luffy has no illusions of grandeur. There is always a possibility of betrayal.

But she chanced it. A naïve move, one might say.

Kuro is a cruel and ruthless man. He didn't have any qualms _murdering_ someone. But so is she when necessary and it's messy. He is someone, who is without a second thought willing to sacrifice and use anyone to his plans. But Luffy had seen through his mask—a caged animal.

Luffy had learned a lot from _his _memories. _Use everything to survive or else die._

She's not that naïve anymore. Not after everything that happened in both past lives and the present.

Honestly, Luffy did not expect Kuro to accept her invitation. He actually caught her off-guard by his acceptance. And she's grateful for that. Kuro's help is needed if she wanted to rule the sea of Grand Line in the coming future.

On the other hand, Arlong is another case. Luffy will never forget the pain and devastation he brought to Nami in those memories.

But those events did not happen in this world. She had prevented it to happen.

Though, another thing did. Willy, an old rival of Arlong, was the one who complicated the matters. Willy caused a rift between the villagers and Arlong. It's a hard time since there was an unstable relationship between the group lead by Arlong and the villagers of Cocoyashi.

Trust is a two-way traffic after all.

And luck has it that Luffy arrived on time before a worst situation would be escalated. Luffy has an inkling thought, a need for balance is still necessary. Not to mention, there are things which she can't control.

For now, Luffy will see things through; her goals are not yet within reach. It's best not to worry about tomorrow, but to live one day at a time.

Luffy is so immersed within her thoughts that she didn't notice the bathroom's door is opening. She turns grabbing the towel, pausing in front of somebody.

**43. Sanji's POV**

_Outside the captain's quarters…_

Sanji had already knocked on the door thrice, but the person in the other side isn't answering his calls.

It's not locked and without a thought he opens the door.

He surveys the room looking for his captain, Luffy. Even now, he still can't believe that the said person is actually a woman.

Sure, Luffy is graceful but that's it. Luffy's table manners are okay, but the rest of her actions are obviously like a man. She couldn't care less of the differences between a man's rules and a woman's protocols. That's why; he refuses to believe that Luffy is truly a girl. Until he sees further proof, for him his captain is still a man.

With his sensitive ears, Sanji can hear the sounds of running water. He walks without hesitation and opens the door without thinking.

A figure is naked. A magnificent sight from the back. All for him ALONE.

Shock, amazement, and disbelief are all an understatement. No amount of words can explain what storm he gets himself into.

Sun-kissed skin, breasts that are firm and small. His gaze trails down; an unbidden blush makes its presence known on his face. She had narrow waist he can easily spun with his hands, well-rounded hips, and mile long legs…long and slim.

He gulps. Hard.

As his eyes focuses, there is that evidence he is staring at—the v-shaped of her sex.

"A beauty that will tempt even a god," he utters in a dazed.

He finally lost it—in airborne.

**44. **

Luffy blinks once. "Wow. That's a lot."

Blinks twice, dark eyes widens. "SANJIIIIII!"

In panic, Luffy only has the time to robe herself before grabbing Sanji to her shoulders as she heads out from the bathroom. Fast.

"Mellorine..." a soft sigh comes from the mess on her arms.

"You'll be alright Sanji!" she assures him as the head digs in deeper to the upper portion of her body.

Her panic cries are enough to alert everyone as they all gather on the deck.

"Minna! We must find land at once! Sanji needs medical attention!"

Everyone stares at her in stupor.

"Luffy is really a woman…" someone says out loud.

Luffy didn't realize that the crimson robe she worn has fallen from her shoulder, and she's naked from the waist up. The robe also slips open in the middle. Hence, her naked glory lay open to the world to see.

All at once, eyes glue at her turn into heart-shaped and the string of smoke emitting by the men formed heart-shaped as well. A beautiful, exotic, and captivating sight is upon them. All in all, their captain is a beauty beyond comprehension.

"S-senchou?" Usopp stutters. "I-is t-this a-a d-dream?"

"Never before I've ever seen this…" Kuro utters and pushes his glasses on for a closer look.

"A siren?" Arlong sighs.

As for Zoro, he is well-aware of Luffy's nudity. His face flushes up at the sight of her cleavage and those mile long legs when he looks down.

"Oi, follow the captains orders, you idiots." Zoro says with no emotions though worry is evident in his eyes at his captain from the night before.

Blood begin to trickle out from most of the men's noses.

"HURRY UP AND OBEY THE CAPTAIN'S ORDERS YOU PERVERTS." Nami yells knocking the men down with her fist, her shout jolts them from their stupor.

They did what Luffy ordered them. However, their eyes are in the other side of the beyond, blood streaming from their noses, jaws on the floor, and inner minds replaying the sight all over again like a broken video. They twitch with a creepy grin and promptly burst into cackling like demented perverted old men.

Nami rolls her eyes from their obvious glee. She can't help but wonder if this scene is going to happen in the future again.

She smirks evilly. She can't wait. Next time, she'll have a popcorn bowl with her.

And that's how and why, the Straw Hat Pirates arrived a day in advance to Loguetown than what is scheduled.

**45. Sanji's POV**

He is still recovering in one of the clinic in Loguetown the others had left to gather the needed supplies for their journey. He's all alone, and his brain is adjusting from the recent findings he had the day before.

For the first time in his entire life, Black-leg Sanji is lost for words. He sighs dejectedly. His flirtations and flattering words won't work on this one. He can't even imagine doing his noodle/tornado dance.

She'll just laugh at him.

A forlorn expression on his face is replaced by a thoughtful look. He's brooding over in one of his fond memories of his captain, Luffy.

**_Flashback_**

_A memory after the fight with Don Krieg, it was a moment of privacy, the two of them sitting on the railing overlooking the peaceful sea in silence._

_All of the sudden, Sanji broke the silence."Hey, have you ever heard of All Blue?" It was a voice of excitement like that of a child._

_"It depends on how someone defines it," __Luffy answered with a soft smile._

_Totally thrown off-guard by the statement, Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his mouth but he beamed with a huge smile at__ Luffy. "It's a mystical sea! In that sea, all kinds of fish of all blues is there! It's a sea heaven for cooks like me!" Sanji announced enthusiastically as he babbled on and on until lunchtime._

_It's one of the rarest times Sanji would willingly share his dream with someone especially with a stranger. He had not know the reason why he's so comfortable revealing his dream to __Luffy, but he did not regret it._

_And __Luffy his beautiful captain who he had mistaken for a boy that time did not laugh at him in anyone else they will say it is only childish dream of his._

_"You will find it." Luffy's words filled of conviction touched his heart. "But you have to join my crew, Sanji." _

_Luffy left him alone with those words and a smile that made his heart somersaulted inside._

**_Flashback Ends_**

Sanji, the Sous-Chef and Zeff's protégé of Baratie Restaurant, who had his own tricks with a martial-art style that was passed on to him from his mentor Zeff—has fallen into the never ending abyss of devotion to his captain.

He didn't want to admit it at the time, but he knew at that moment that Luffy is the only person he will ever call captain.

**46. Usopp's POV**

None of things in the store caught his eye, and he has been walking for hours. One of the shop keepers had tried to con him, but Usopp is not swayed.

How can he be? He's the master of deception who is an expert to detect a lie. That shop keeper is a newborn puppy compared to him. He would have been successful if only Usopp is an ordinary shopper.

But alas, Usopp isn't.

Arlong and Nami are both awesome examples when it comes to scamming, one must always play their games for debts to be non-existent. Kuro and his layer of strategies is another thing. Then there is Sanji and Zorro whose one look is enough to erase one's deceiver plans to nonexistence. Add Luffy, his captain one is better off not to lie at her at all. Doom and gloom is upon them once they even think of lying to her.

Speaking of his captain, a nostalgic and fond smile is on his face at a certain memory. It's a memory before he joined the Straw Hat Pirates.

**_Flashback_**

_Onyx eyes were studying him with intensity he couldn't comprehend. Then, __Luffy smiled the tension gone in the air._

_"You are in a way like your father," __Luffy started calmly like their subject was the weather. "I met him as one of Shanks crew members." _

_That statement froze everyone who were eavesdropping at them._

_Usopp gaped. "REALLY? My father is sailing with a famous pirate?" his eyes twinkled like stars._

_Luffy nodded in confirmation._

_Usopp then eyed her suspiciously. "Are you in any way pulling my leg?" he asked in a tight voice._

_Luffy smiled at him radiantly but her eyes were so serious. "News of them is hard to get by, but Yasopp is with Shanks." _

_Before Usopp could launched another question __Luffy began to tell him with short stories of her time with them. When it came to his father, Luffy both had a fond and long-suffering expression. The reason was, Yasopp is always telling Luffy his stories like a mantra. Most of the stories were about his hometown and the family he left in an island._

_Usopp clung to every word like a lost traveler seeking for water to quench his thirst. He also had taken note of the fact of the way __Luffy spoke highly of his father next to Shanks._

**_Flashback Ends_**

Usopp just wished that there will be a time; he and his father will have a bonding time in the future. By that time, Usopp had surely accumulated a lot of tales to tell his father with.

There was a bit of envy knowing the time how many memories Luffy had with his father that Usopp had immediately squash down. Deep in his heart, there is a seed of love the kind one have with his best friend. One of the reasons why, he accepted Luffy's invitation to join them.

There are many times that Usopp would really like to take back his acceptance, but he didn't. In ways, he had grown immune to their crew's death defying encounters with people not in their league. However, Usopp would admit that with Luffy as their captain those hindrances won't hinder them.

Luffy will always have what she wants in any means necessary. Denying her, will only make matters worst. And this sheer bullheadedness of her, had influence the crew in more ways than one.

Usopp will have to pity the fools who say and act otherwise at her.

**47. Arlong's POV**

_Humans really are strange and fascinating creatures, _Arlong decides as he takes in his crew members.

Arlong commends the talent of the swordsman who is always in a nap but still on alert. The boy has the potential to become one of the strongest swordsmen in Grand Line. The boy's dauntlessness is near on the same wavelength as of their captain, Luffy. Together with Zoro and Nami, the two are Arlong's top-notch drinking partners.

The long nose once he had assumed a coward is reliable on his job. He recognizes the dormant talent in him. Arlong is not disappointed. Usopp is one of a kind sniper. There is still polishing needed, but Arlong knows the inner strength will soon be rolling out from the young man.

About Kuro, one couldn't help but be suspicious of him. The others are skeptical to the man's joining except the swordsman. But with Luffy's assurance, Arlong casted that feeling aside. His faith and trust to Luffy is unwavering.

Figures, only Luffy could tame any monster be it in any form. The megane man is in bloodlust but restrained. It's like having a wild cat on his master's bidding.

The cook is an odd one. In many times Arlong had lost count the cook would whirl like a human tornado giving off hearts of all sizes. During Nami's first encounter with the cook, Arlong can distinguish how flattered she was by the boy's attention then became a tolerated annoyance.

Arlong can see why—it's a bit of disturbing sight for the lady victims. Only Luffy is taking it all in stride much to the everyone's pleasant surprise. But then again, it was before the other two men except the swordsman had figure out that Luffy is really a woman.

Their navigator, whose skills are unparallel a fact admitted by Arlong himself. Nami is one of the first batch of humans he treated as an equal, only second to Luffy herself.

_She is also more of the disciplinarian of their crew, and a minder,_ Arlong mutters lowly as a barely noticeable bump on his head throbs on cue by that fact.

As for their captain, Arlong had soon given up to figure her out. Luffy to him is an unpredictable being. One would never guess what she's up to unless it involved food and nap time. Even now, Arlong appreciates how Luffy treated her crew in her own way.

As weird as it may sounds, for Luffy, their crew is her family.

Over all, Arlong can't wait the chaos their crew will bring to the whole world. Definitely, it will be massive and unprecedented.

Arlong can't take it anymore as he erupts into laughter.

A few people actually clear out from his way when they heard the sinister laugh emanating from the fishmen.

**48.**** Luffy's POV**

Luffy is separated from her crew in Loguetown.

Gait purposeful, as she walks looking for the execution platform, the place where Gold Roger was executed.

She wants to visit the place once again. She has to.

She knows she is tempting fate, but she wants to test if the same thing will happen in this world. The straw hat on her head hides the hint of a small grin that blossoms on her face.

**49. Buggy's POV**

He will never forget the face of that person from 3 years ago. They are having a party when that person arrived. He recognized the straw hat and without a care insults another person whom he had known wearing the same thing. Everything went downhill since then.

The moment he has been inform of her presence, his blood boils.

And now, he will have his revenge.

To be continued…

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**Author's Notes:**

I had to admit that at first, writing a femLuffy in the OP verse had me in tatters *why did I signed up for this face* but so far, doing this revamped to Avis' brainchild wasn't certainly a bad thing at all with all the humorous scenes and splashes of angst every now and then.

Wherever you are Avis, please don't kill me in any form and way with the alterations I had committed in all your works *dogeza form* And I'm hoping this revamp will be well received by the readers in this fandom *crosses fingers*

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**REVIEWS AND FAVES are both WANTED ***puppy dog eyes*

_And so before leaving,_ **please leave a review **^-^


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